


The Art Of Illusion

by CoffeeSoobeanie



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Everything is not as it seems!, Featuring TWICE’s Sana & Mina, I’m Still Bad At Tagging, JooKyun are best friends, Light Angst, M/M, OT7, Tattoo Artist Im Changkyun | I.M, Tattoo Artist Yoo Kihyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:14:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 33,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24779740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeSoobeanie/pseuds/CoffeeSoobeanie
Summary: Changkyun's been a little bit in love with Yoo Kihyun ever since the very first moment that they met - and he has absolutely no idea what to do about it.Despite being colleagues at the Fantasia tattoo studio, Kihyun hardly acknowledges Changkyun’s presence. That is, until an incident at work causes Kihyun to approach him, and a tentative friendship begins to bloom between them.Suddenly, everything that Changkyun has craved for so long is finally within reach - but when a stunning discovery threatens to destroy his newfound happiness, Changkyun must decide whether he’s willing to put his heart on the line for someone like Kihyun.
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Lee Hoseok | Wonho, Im Changkyun | I.M/Yoo Kihyun, Lee Jooheon/Lee Minhyuk
Comments: 28
Kudos: 155





	1. The Ink

**Author's Note:**

> In celebration of the lovely Shownu’s birthday, here’s the Kihyun x I.M tattoo studio AU I’ve been working on - featuring the amazing members of MONSTA X (including Wonho)! Thank you for reading :)
> 
> Comments & Kudos are greatly appreciated!

Changkyun is used to people staring at him. Regardless of whether he's drinking at the bar, lifting weights at the gym, or simply buying groceries at his local store, Changkyun can always feel the judgemental gazes of total strangers burning holes into his skin.

He'd like to imagine that the curious glances people throw at him are simply because they find him attractive, but unfortunately, Changkyun isn't narcissistic enough to put much faith into that theory. The most likely explanation for all of the attention that he's prone to receiving is the dark ink that stains his skin, bleeding out across his body like paint splattered across a blank canvas. Changkyun channels a part of himself through his tattoos, and the ink that permanently mars his skin is as much of a part of his body as the blood that flows through his veins.

Whilst it isn't always easy for him to act like the critical glares that he receives from people - simply because of the choices that he's made - don't phase him whenever he goes out in public with his arms uncovered, Changkyun has never once wanted to turn back the clocks and choose a different path.

Changkyun's always preferred to stand out from the crowd anyway.

• • • • • • •

From the very first moment that he'd picked up a marker pen and scrawled a wonky honeybee onto an unsuspecting classmates's arm at the ripe old age of five, Changkyun had known that he wanted to spend the rest of his life painting his designs onto people's skin. No amount of scolding from the teachers could dissuade him from his dream of becoming a tattoo artist, and eventually, the adults who had once opposed him became the greatest supporters of his endeavours. Changkyun possessed a creative mind, but he was also fortunate enough to be blessed with the raw talent necessary to navigate his way towards the career that he craved so badly.

By the time that he was eighteen, Changkyun was already covered in more tattoos than he was even able to count. He'd crafted every single one of the meaningful designs himself, as well as having tattooed the majority of them onto his own skin, allowing the few places that he couldn't successfully reach himself to be permanently inked by the person that he trusts most in the world - Lee Jooheon.

Whilst Changkyun had spent numerous years of his childhood abroad in both the United States and Israel, his allegiance to his best friend had never once faltered. Perhaps it was because of the peculiarity of their first interaction as kids that their friendship flourished as securely as it had (apparently scribbling a design that doesn't fade for almost two weeks onto another child's arm is the perfect way to secure a lifelong bond), but the two friends had even ended up attending the same university, with Changkyun majoring in art and Jooheon opting to pursue a degree in music. They were a constant, steady presence in the otherwise rotating cast of each other's lives, so on the night of their graduation, Changkyun had finally agreed to tattoo a refined rendition of the honeybee that had originally sparked their friendship onto Jooheon's forearm. He'd then proceeded to lock himself in the bathroom and sob uncontrollably for the next hour - though he'd tactfully chosen to keep that small detail to himself.

Fresh out of university, Changkyun was fortunate enough to land himself a job at one of the most popular tattoo studios in Seoul, owned by a young man named Son Hyunwoo. Changkyun had made the acquaintance of the impressive business owner - who also ran several other flourishing establishments around the city - at his prestigious nightclub one evening, and the two of them had quickly hit it off. Hyunwoo had greatly admired the ink that painted Changkyun's skin, and when he'd discovered that the younger man had ambitions to work in the tattooing industry, he'd immediately offered him the chance to apply for a job at his studio. Twenty-one year old Changkyun had jumped at the golden opportunity, and after sailing through his interviews with flying colours, he'd eagerly accepted the job; he'd never once regretted his decision.

Changkyun is both the newest and the youngest of the four tattoo artists that are currently employed at _Fantasia_. Lee Minhyuk and Yoo Kihyun have worked at the studio since the very beginning, having played an integral part in helping Hyunwoo to launch the business four years previously.

Minhyuk is the eldest - and also the loudest - of the studio's artists. His simplistic, yet sophisticated designs are often influenced by his passion for nature, and his technical skills are widely considered to be unequivocal. He's also the member of staff designated to handle the piercing services that the studio offers - a job that his nose stud and nipple rings suggest he suits immaculately. Changkyun had even allowed his colleague to pierce his eyebrow for him after he'd assured him that he'd hardly feel the pain (Minhyuk had been lying, but the incident had been so amusing that Changkyun couldn't find it in himself to be even the slightest bit mad at his friend). Minhyuk had immediately taken Changkyun under his wing when he began working at the studio, which he'd been more than happy to embrace. Whilst Minhyuk's platinum blonde hair and gorgeous smile certainly help to enhance his charm, it's his bubbly personality, overflowing charisma, and endless positive energy that make it virtually impossible for Changkyun not to agree to elder man's whims, including their infamous road trip to Busan - a spontaneous excursion that had very nearly gotten them both arrested.

Yoo Kihyun is - in Changkyun's humble opinion - the most talented artist at the studio. Unlike Minhyuk, Kihyun rarely makes an effort to interact with Changkyun, often disappearing whenever the younger man steps into the break room, and avoiding direct eye contact wherever possible - despite the fact that he oozes a friendly confidence when he's around the other artists. Changkyun had initially chalked it down to his colleague simply being shy and reserved around newcomers, but after an entire year had passed without any significant improvement in the situation, it's difficult for him to pretend that the indifference to his presence doesn't sting.

For a reason that Changkyun isn't privy to, Kihyun is the only member of staff without any tattoos littering his skin. He does, however, have a habit of dyeing his hair an array of captivating colours, with his current choice being a delicate pastel pink that somehow manages to both accentuate Kihyun's sharp features and soften his endearing cheeks simultaneously. He's indisputably, irrevocably beautiful, which does nothing to calm the butterflies that erupt inside Changkyun's stomach on the rare occasions that Kihyun happens to glance in his direction.

Chae Hyungwon had joined the team two years after Minhyuk and Kihyun, once business began to boom and the demand for the studio's reputable skills grew beyond what the two artists were capable of handling alone. With his jet-black hair, impressive height and stunning visuals, Hyungwon could easily have walked straight out of a fashion magazine - and the silver lip-ring he sports only serves to enhance his enviable beauty. Whilst Hyungwon and Changkyun hadn't exactly seen eye to eye when the younger man had begun working at the studio, the initial animosity between the pair quickly faded after they discovered that they'd both been born in Gwangju, and their bond quickly gained strength from then onwards.

For the most part, Changkyun couldn't ask for a better tattoo studio to be employed at. The pay is more than adequate for his needs, he has a positive relationship with the majority of his colleagues, and he's able to spend his time creating art - the thing that he loves doing more than anything else in the world. In fact, there's only one tiny, yet unfortunately insurmountable problem:

Changkyun's been a little bit in love with Yoo Kihyun since the very first time that they met - and he has absolutely no clue what to do about it.

• • • • • • •

**~ 10th December ~**

Despite the clock having only just struck ten o'clock in the morning, Changkyun already finds himself desperately craving the warm, comforting embrace of his cosy bed. He's halfway through tattooing what he likes to refer to as a ' _nightmare client_ ' - a young, platinum blonde-haired man who refuses to keep his ass planted in the chair, yet firmly insists on pressing forward with the inking process - and Changkyun is feeling very tempted to just abandon the whole endeavour and leave the tattoo half-finished. He's seriously starting to believe that risking being sued might be a better alternative then proceeding on with such a nightmarish task.

"Are you seriously incapable of sitting still for more than thirty seconds at a time?" Changkyun scolds the man, practically straddling his lap in an attempt to get him to hold still. "Unless you want this whale to look like it's suffering from a terrible allergic reaction to some bad seafood, stop fucking squirming!"

"You're the one who's literally stabbing me right now!" The man persists with his whining, trying to twist himself out of Changkyun's grip. "And if you disfigure my whale, I'm officially uninviting you from my birthday party."

"Your birthday was last month. Your goldfish memory won't remember this conversation in a year's time."

"A tattoo is for _life_ , Kyun - and so are the grudges that I hold."

Changkyun raises his dark eyes pleadingly up to the sky, holding his hands up in despair. "What did I do in my past life to deserve this cruel fate?"

"Judging by the face you that were gifted this time around, it was clearly something despicable." The client chips in cheerfully, jumping at the chance to insult Changkyun.

"I fucking hate you." Changkyun sighs tiredly, sweeping his fringe out of eyes. He makes a mental note to visit the hair salon whenever he can next spare the time, since Jooheon keeps on threatening to chop off the offending hair himself the next time that Changkyun accidentally walks into a wall due to his lack of visibility. Maybe he'll even splash out for a dye job if he's feeling spontaneous, since he's been sporting his natural dark shade for a considerable amount of time. "I could've finished inking you by now if you'd stop trying to fight me off."

"It's not my fault that I don't like pain!" The man protests indignantly. Changkyun can't help but chuckle at the irony of the statement, since his current client is none other than Lee Minhyuk - the most experienced (and apparently also the wimpiest) tattoo artist at their studio. Whilst the man may get paid to willingly inflict pain on others, Minhyuk is notorious for being unable to stand feeling it himself.

"You're seriously one of the most difficult people I've ever had to tattoo - I don't know how Hyungwon holds himself back from punching you in the face every single time." Although that morning is the first time that Changkyun's ever tattooing his friend, he certainly isn't the first artist at the shop to undertake the arduous task.

"Wonnie also threatens me a lot." Minhyuk admits with a pleased grin. Changkyun isn't surprised by the news; Hyungwon's known for his... interesting approaches.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to understand why Hyunwoo chose to hire a tattoo artist who's terrified of _getting a fucking tattoo_." Changkyun grumbles, managing to get a firm enough hold on Minhyuk's arm to anchor him in place.

"My artistic talent probably helped a little bit, but I think most of his reasoning skills went down the drain the moment he saw my face." Minhyuk snickers, momentarily too distracted by reminiscing about the memory to attempt to escape. "Hyunwoo's always been a sucker for pretty boys, since he's smart enough to know that we bring in the customers."

"I'm not sure that 'smart' is the word I'd pick." Changkyun snorts, pointedly ignoring the sickening way that Minhyuk pouts up at him. "But I understand the reasoning. What psychopath wouldn't want to stare at your face for hours on end while you repeatedly stab them with a needle?"

"Erm... are you forgetting who inked that incredible wolf tattoo on your shoulder? That's right bitch, it was me. Guess that makes _you_ the psychopath who enjoys staring at my beautiful face!" Minhyuk gleefully points out, reaching up to playfully pinch Changkyun's cheeks, much to the younger boy's dismay.

Before Changkyun has the chance to redirect his needle to somewhere much more painful than Minhyuk's bicep (like his groin, for example), a sharp knock at the door interrupts their bickering.

"Come in!" Minhyuk calls out chirpily, without waiting for Changkyun to give his own permission. The younger man can only roll his eyes, carefully laying his tattoo machine down out of harm's way, knowing that his current client will clutch onto any excuse to pause the inking process.

To Changkyun's surprise, when he next looks up, the door has swung open to reveal none other than Yoo Kihyun standing on the other side, looking as breathtakingly stunning as always in an oversized lilac t-shirt and faded blue skinny jeans. Kihyun's excellent decision to dye his hair pastel pink does nothing to help vanquish Changkyun's minuscule crush (he _swears_ to himself that that's all it is) on his coworker.

"Am I interrupting something?" Kihyun questions dubiously, raising an eyebrow at the scene in front of him; it's only then that Changkyun realises that he's still perched in Minhyuk's lap.

"Nope, of course not. Just... doing my job." Changkyun splutters as he hurriedly clambers off of his friend's thighs, hoping that it doesn't sound like he's implying that he gives lap dances for a living. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if I could borrow your watercolour paints? I was hoping to work on my sketches today, but I was in a bit of a rush this morning so I accidentally left my palette at home." Kihyun confesses, still eyeing his coworkers dubiously. "Hyungwon mentioned that you might be willing to lend me your set for the day - if you're not using them, of course."

"Oh, sure - you can borrow them." Changkyun tells him as he crosses the room to his desk, racking his brains in an attempt to remember where he'd left his palette the previous evening and cursing his tendency to haphazardly cram his possessions into drawers whenever he's in a hurry. "I'm fully booked for appointments today anyway, so there's no chance of me needing them."

"When are you not fully booked these days?" Kihyun teases airily, taking several reluctant steps forward into Changkyun's studio. "Hyunwoo's always telling me how popular your portfolio is with our clients."

"It's probably just because I charge the least, since I'm the newest to the job. I'm _definitely_ no better than anyone else here." Changkyun mutters, silently praying that his cheeks aren't flushing bright red as he hands Kihyun his favourite set of watercolours. "Here you go. Some of the colours are running a little low because I've had the palette for a while, but I hope it'll still be sufficient."

"They'll be perfect, thanks. I'll return them first thing tomorrow." Kihyun promises, cradling the palette in his arms as if he's scared that one wrong move will provoke Changkyun to retract his offer.

"Oh, sure. There's no rush." Changkyun assures him, painfully aware of the fact that Kihyun could probably dropkick his watercolours and he'd barely even flinch. "Well... see you around, I guess."

"Thanks again, Changkyun." Kihyun hesitantly gives his colleague a tiny, awkward wave, before firmly closing the door behind himself and disappearing off towards his own studio.

When Changkyun returns to Minhyuk's side, his friend is grinning at him like the cat that got the cream. "You're a fucking dumbass, Im Changkyun. Such an adorable, innocent dumbass."

"Please - if there's one thing that I'm not, it's innocent." Changkyun picks up his tattoo machine once again, waving it threateningly in Minhyuk's direction. "And since you want to mock me, I guess it looks like we're going with the ' _whale that got into a terrible accident with an iceberg_ ' design for the rest of your tattoo."

Minhyuk's smug expression instantly morphs into one of horror when he realises what Changkyun's implying. "No, wait! I take it back! Don't you dare come near me with that needle!"

• • • • • • •

**~ 11th December ~**

For the most part, Changkyun detests his trips to the gym with a burning passion. Working out is something that he only does because he feels peer pressured by society into spending time surrounded by a bunch of sweaty individuals who care more about their appearances than the number of brain cells they possess (at least that's what Changkyun likes to tell himself in an attempt to feel better about his own noodle arms).

However, if there's one person that can convince Changkyun to spend his Friday nights suffering through two hours of physical torture, it's Lee Hoseok.

Changkyun's known the notorious ulzzang for as long as he can remember. They'd lived across the street from each other for nearly a decade, and had continued to keep in touch even when Changkyun's family had moved away. Whenever he would return to South Korea to visit his relatives during the periods of time that he was living abroad, Changkyun would always make time to catch up with Hoseok, who would happily drop everything at a moment's notice just to meet up with him. The two men know almost everything about each other, so Changkyun is more than comfortable with embarrassing himself in front of Hoseok whenever he fails to perform ten successive press-ups (which is something he'd never do).

By the time that Changkyun manages to haul his ass to the gym after finishing work - he may adore his friend, but that still isn't enough motivation to get him to show up to their sessions on time - Hoseok has already claimed their usual corner of the room and begun setting up a weights circuit that will probably make Changkyun regret having ever been born.

"This is your punishment for being late." Hoseok says in lieu of a greeting, carrying ten kilogram dumbbells around as easily as if they weighed nothing more than a feather.

"Well hello to you too!" Changkyun pouts, dumping his jacket and water bottle into a unceremonious heap on the floor.

Hoseok can't help but chuckle at his friend's childish attitude, instantly shattering his composed facade. "You're in a snippy mood this evening. Bad day?"

"Do you think it means anything if your colleague gifts you an adorable sketch of a wolf pup when he returns your art supplies?" Changkyun asks as calmly as possible, trying his best to sound nonchalant - or at the very least, considerably more calm and collected than he'd acted that morning when he'd arrived at the studio to find the captivating artwork sitting on his desk.

"I see that you're still hung up on Yoo Kihyun." Hoseok grins, handing Changkyun a dumbbell so heavy that he almost topples over under the unexpected weight.

Changkyun pouts grumpily, hating the way that his friend can seemingly read his mind. The wolf pup was so obviously sketched in Kihyun's signature style that Changkyun had been left with no doubt as to who was responsible for the artwork that he may or may not have pinned above his desk (Changkyun _promises_ that he only has a small crush on his colleague). "How do you know that this is about Kihyun?"

"Because not only have I known you for long enough to be able to read you like a book, but I also get daily updates from Wonnie about everything that you guys get up to at the studio." Hoseok gloats, picking up his own dumbbells and beginning the first exercise of the circuit. Changkyun reluctantly follows his lead, ignoring the way that his arms scream out in protest.

"How would Hyungwon know? Isn't he always too busy napping to pay attention to the rest of us?"

When Changkyun had first begun working at the tattoo shop, he'd made the fatal mistake of inviting Hoseok on a night out with his colleagues, which had led to his childhood friend sleeping with - and consequently becoming smitten with - Chae Hyungwon. That one event had signalled the beginning of potentially the greatest 'will they, won't they' saga to ever exist - which primarily involved Hoseok pining over Hyungwon, while the tattoo artist remained hopelessly oblivious to the growing frustrations of everyone around him. After dancing around each other for almost six months, Hoseok had finally plucked up the courage to ask Hyungwon out on a date, and they'd been happily together ever since (much to the relief of their long-suffering friends).

"Wonnie says that watching you amuses him. You're like a tiny puppy - always stumbling over your own paws and bounding around with a dopey expression." Hoseok grins at the look of outrage that materialises on Changkyun's face upon hearing the description.

"Tiny? I'm above average height!" Changkyun vehemently insists, lifting his dumbbells with renewed ferocity. "And stop telling your boyfriend to spy on me!"

"I just don't understand how you've managed to only exchange all of five words with Kihyun when you've been working together for over a year - the studio isn't even that big." Unsurprisingly, Hoseok chooses to completely ignore Changkyun's complaints in favour of critiquing the younger boy's social skills. "Please tell me that you don't eat your lunch alone in the supply closet everyday just to avoid him?"

"My life isn't that depressing." Changkyun grumbles, although he can't deny that he has a tendency to avoid the break room as much as humanly possible whenever he's alone. "We're both just... quiet. I'm sure we could be friends if we wanted to, but it's clear that we're both perfectly content with being colleagues who respect each other's work."

"Funnily enough, I don't believe you." Hoseok quips, tucking a few stray strands of his silver hair back under his baseball cap. "You just choose to avoid Kihyun because you're crushing on him, and you think he's too far out of your league to ever notice you."

"I don't think that! I'm attractive!" Changkyun mutters indignantly, momentarily flexing his muscles to demonstrate the confidence he has in his physique, before swiftly letting his arms drop back to his sides when he remembers who he's standing beside. Stupid Hoseok - who gave him permission to possess the body of an adorable rabbit on steroids? "And I could be friends with Yoo Kihyun if I wanted to!"

"Oh really? Then what is stopping you?"

Even though he _knows_ that Hoseok is attempting to bait him into agreeing to spend more time interacting with Kihyun, unfortunately, Changkyun has always been notoriously bad at backing down from a challenge. "Nothing's stopping me."

"Then talk to him." Hoseok shrugs innocently, as if he doesn't know what torture he's about to inflict upon Changkyun. "If you need some confidence, just delve deep inside of your subconscious and summon the part of yourself that managed to seduce Hyunwoo that time - back when you were only eighteen."

"I thought we agreed to never speak of that incident ever again!" Changkyun shrieks, attracting the attention of almost every person in the gym.

"Sorry, it's just too funny to not bring that story up every so often." Hoseok giggles, trying his hardest to smother his laughter to avoid being beaten to death by a fuming Changkyun. "On a serious note, I think you should just go for it, Kyun. After all, it's not like you're crushing on a celebrity who'll never even know you exist - it's just Kihyun."

Changkyun hums under his breath in response, wishing that things really were that simple - because in his eyes, Kihyun is a star; stunningly beautiful, and yet so, so far out of reach.

• • • • • • •

**~ 16th December ~**

Changkyun wouldn't usually describe himself as a violent person, but when he arrives at work on a chilly December morning to find that his chocolate advent calendar has been ravaged, he vows to take revenge on the mysterious perpetrator using any means possible.

"Why the _fuck_ would someone eat the chocolate that's supposed to be for days that haven't even passed yet?" Changkyun asks, unable to fathom what sort of psychopath would do such a ludicrous thing. "I swear it's basically illegal to eat any of the chocolates in advance!"

"Nothing's a crime if you're hungry enough." Hyungwon mumbles under his breath, though his voice isn't quiet enough to prevent half the room from hearing him regardless.

"I'm pretty sure that the police would still arrest you if your only defence against eating another human was ' _I just felt a bit peckish_ '." Minhyuk quips, already beginning to doodle a comedic interpretation of the scene in his sketchbook.

"Can we _please_ stop talking about cannibalism when I'm trying to enjoy my breakfast?" Jooheon pleads, glaring down at his chocolate croissant with disdain. Whilst he might not work at the tattoo shop, Jooheon frequently abuses his position as Changkyun's best friend in order to wrangle himself a free breakfast several times a week, having memorised the days on which Minhyuk brings fresh pastries for his colleagues. There's an unspoken rule amongst the other artists that they never bring up the fact that Minhyuk always lets Jooheon have the first pick of the baked goods.

"Yeah, let's get back to the matter at hand - figuring out who I have to castrate for ruining my Christmas tradition." Changkyun agrees firmly.

"I didn't eat your chocolates, but I'll happily buy you a new calendar if that'll make you feel better?" Hyunwoo offers with his trademark fatherly smile. Although the owner doesn't check in on his artists as often as he previously used to - since he'd quickly felt comfortable in trusting his employees' abilities to manage their affairs without his constant input - Hyunwoo still likes to drop by on occasion just to spend some time with his friends.

"Whilst the offer is appreciated, dad," Changkyun blows a kiss in Hyunwoo's direction, who succeeds in remaining impressively composed, despite the mildly provocative gesture (a tranquility no doubt acquired through years of interacting with the youngest artist), "This isn't just about being able to eat a specific piece of candy everyday in the run up to Christmas - this is about getting justice for my poor Pororo advent calendar, tragically taken from us before its time - " Changkyun's passionate speech is abruptly cut off by the arrival of the final member of staff, who instantly freezes on the spot when he enters the break room to find nothing but chaos waiting for him.

"What's going on...?" Kihyun glances cautiously around the room, clearly bewildered by the scene he's just stumbled upon. "Are you having a staff meeting that I didn't get the memo about?"

"Someone ate the chocolate out of Kyun's advent calendar, so we all gathered around to observe him handling the situation like the mature adult that he is. It's top quality entertainment." Minhyuk smirks, shooting a barrage of obnoxious finger hearts across the room at Changkyun, who struggles against the urge to leap across the room and break his friend's stupid fingers.

"Oh, that was my fault." Kihyun explains apologetically, as he sheds his winter coat. "Sorry, Changkyun - I didn't realise that the calendar was yours."

"Huh?" Changkyun is too stunned by the unexpected revelation to muster up an intelligent response. He'd thought that everyone at the shop knew about his calendar, since he'd talked his friends' ears off about how the tradition reminds him of his years spent living in Boston. In retrospect, Kihyun had never been present during such conversations, so it's not outside the realms of possibility that he was simply oblivious to the entire situation.

"Some irresponsible mother brought her child along to her tattoo appointment, and the only way I could get the kid to sit still and not touch anything was by distracting him with the Pororo calendar." Kihyun explains, chewing guiltily on his bottom lip. "I didn't realise until afterwards that there was anything still in it."

"Looks like someone else doesn't know that the chocolate isn't supposed to be eaten all in one go." Hyungwon grins triumphantly, causing Minhyuk to snort inelegantly into his coffee.

Changkyun had lectured his colleagues on numerous occasions about the importance of eating the miniature chocolates on the correct day, since he claimed it boosted the Christmas spirit (for someone who radiates such an intimidating aura, Changkyun still possesses a childlike sense of wonder about the world). Personally, Hyungwon doesn't understand the point of effectively rationing the chocolate when he could just eat it all in one go. If he's craving something sweet, and the only thing separating him from the chocolate is a flimsy cardboard door, Hyungwon's sure as hell not going to ignore his stomach just because he's _supposed_ to wait until the next day.

"I never had an advent calendar when I was younger." Kihyun says with a shrug, accepting the strong cup of coffee that Hyunwoo hands him. "I'm sorry about ruining yours, Changkyun. I'll buy you another one tomorrow."

"No, it's alright - don't bother." Changkyun rejects the offer quickly, feeling his cheeks instantly heat up with humiliation. If he'd have known that Kihyun was involved in the chocolate thievery, he'd never have made such a huge fuss.

Changkyun’s voice must have come out a lot more harshly than he intended it to, because Kihyun quickly looks away from him, his expression startled. "Oh, okay... if you're sure."

"Since Kihyun's the one responsible for the missing chocolate, does that mean that Changkyun's going to have to tear his balls off?" Jooheon jokes playfully, ignoring the very obvious death stare that his best friend shoots him.

Minhyuk immediately joins in with the teasing, apparently more than happy to dig Changkyun into an even deeper hole than the one he's already standing in. "It's either that, or he'll have to track down the poor kid who ate the candy."

"No one is touching anyone else's balls." Hyunwoo says with such innocuous innocence that everyone in the room bursts out into gleeful laughter; everyone except for Kihyun.

"I'm going to go and set up for my first appointment." Kihyun mumbles, snagging a pecan twist from the box of pastries with a quick nod of thanks in Minhyuk's direction. "I'll see you guys later." With that, he makes a hasty exit from the break room. Nobody has the heart to point out that the tips of Kihyun's ears have turned almost as pink as his hair.

• • • • • • •

**~ 18th December ~**

Like most workplaces, the employees of the tattoo parlour celebrate Christmas by spending an evening together outside of their usual working environment. _Unlike_ most workplaces, however, the tattoo artists decide against eating a civilised meal at a fancy restaurant. Instead, the colleagues settle for their Christmas tradition of getting blackout drunk, with Hyunwoo agreeing to accommodate the group at his nightclub. Changkyun suspects that the boss is just keen to keep a watchful eye on his friends, though he also promises to supply them with free drinks, which is an offer that no one can resist.

It's almost eleven o'clock at night by the time that Changkyun, Minhyuk and Hyungwon arrive at the club, after having been temporarily sidetracked by a fried chicken restaurant on their walk to the venue (all three men agree that it's best not to drink on an empty stomach, after having been witness to Changkyun's antics the previous time they'd all been out together). Although there's an impressive line of hopeful youths waiting patiently for their turn to enter the club, the tattoo artists are able to saunter right up to the door and then stroll straight on in, thanks to the VIP wristbands - bless Hyunwoo's kind soul - that adorn their wrists.

The club is undoubtedly bustling, with people already packed together on the dance floor more tightly than sardines in a tin. Minhyuk leads them straight over to the bar where Hyunwoo - despite owning the establishment - is busy serving drinks and being fawned over by a group of giggling university students. Hyungwon doesn't hesitate to elbow his way through the crowd, tugging the others along with him until they're stood directly in front of their boss, who smiles fondly at them as he prepares three shots.

"I should really scold you for being rude to my patrons..." Hyunwoo tells the trio, pushing their glasses towards them.

"Hyungwon doesn't understand that he's being rude." Changkyun informs him, downing the shot in one go and wincing at the way it makes his throat burn like he's just swallowed a ball of hellfire. "Ever since him and Hoseok got together, whenever we go out, our precious beanpole is completely oblivious to anyone who so much as glances in his direction."

"I'm still annoyed that you wouldn't let me invite him tonight." Hyungwon pouts bitterly, before he too tips his head back and swallows the shot with ease.

"This is a night for colleagues only." Changkyun reminds him, ensuring that he maintains a firm grip on Minhyuk's arm, who keeps attempting to slip away into the crowd of women. Despite having a grand total of zero interest in sleeping with members of the female gender, Lee Minhyuk is a notorious flirt - which perhaps explains why he hasn't had a successful relationship ever since Changkyun's known him. "Why do I get the feeling that you guys only hang out with me because I'm friends with Hoseok and Jooheon?"

"Joohoney?" The familiar name instantly captures Minhyuk's attention, his head perking up excitedly.

Changkyun just sighs as Hyunwoo and Hyungwon immediately crack up at his expense. "I seriously hate you guys. I hope you all fall in a well." Somehow, the laughter gets even louder.

After throwing back two more shots each and successfully dragging Hyunwoo out from behind the bar, the four men head out onto the dance floor. Whilst Changkyun might not be a trained dancer like his three companions, he still has a few tricks up his sleeve to help him keep up with them, since he's never been one to settle for being outshined. Between the four of them, it's fairly easy to garner the attention of almost everyone in the club. Perhaps it's because they're so attuned to each other that their styles complement each other perfectly as they move to the rhythm, but whatever the reason is, Changkyun can't fight back his smile. When he eventually loses his friends in the crowd, after being momentarily sidetracked when his shoe decides to betray him by flying off his foot, he realises just how exhausted he really is.

It's a little after midnight when Changkyun heads back to the bar to grab himself another drink. The majority of the energetic club-goers have made their way onto the dance floor, so Changkyun is pleasantly surprised to find that he doesn't have to strain his voice above the noise of the crowd when he orders himself a beer. Whilst Changkyun is usually all for the high-energy atmosphere that clubs provide, he can also appreciate the tranquility in sitting back with a cold drink and watching the world pass him by for a while.

Unsurprisingly, it doesn't take long for the fragile peace to shatter. One minute he's alone, but when he looks to his left only a few moments later, Kihyun is leaning against the bar beside him, his eyes fixed directly on Changkyun.

"I didn't know that you'd arrived." Changkyun manages to stammer through his shock. Kihyun looks dazzlingly stunning in a simple white t-shirt tucked into dark skinny jeans and paired with a black blazer. His pastel-pink hair has been teased into gentle waves that make him look effortlessly sexy, and sends Changkyun's heart into overdrive.

"I've only been here for about twenty minutes." Kihyun shrugs, inching ever so slightly towards Changkyun. "You weren't with the others, so I came to find you."

"Oh." Changkyun doesn't quite know what to make of that - why would Kihyun come looking specifically for him? "Well, here I am, I guess."

Surprisingly, despite Changkyun's awkwardness, the corners of Kihyun's lips quirk upwards into an amused smile. "Can I buy you a drink? Y'know, to apologise for the chocolate incident?"

"I'd be more endeared by that if all of our drinks weren't already free." Changkyun chuckles, though the intent behind the offer still warms his heart. "And you already bought me another advent calendar to make up for the first one; your debt has been paid."

"I still feel guilty though..." Kihyun admits, despite having made an extra trip to the store specifically to buy Changkyun a replacement advent calendar (it was a Barbie design rather than Pororo, but Changkyun had been too surprised to complain). "It's pretty loud over here. Do you want to go somewhere a little quieter?"

Changkyun almost points out that they can hear each other perfectly well at the bar, before quickly realising that he's being given the perfect opportunity to spend some time alone with the person that he's had a (tiny) crush on for as long as he's known him. "I'd like that."

After Changkyun drains the last of his beer, Kihyun leads them around the edge of the dance floor until they reach an empty booth that overlooks the throng of dancing people. Changkyun tries not to squirm nervously as he sinks down amongst the plush leather cushions, hoping that he isn't radiating the nervous energy that's brewing inside of him. Kihyun slides into the booth next to him, perching on the edge of his seat in the effortlessly elegant manner that seems to come so naturally to him. Still, despite their glaringly obvious differences in social etiquette, talking to Kihyun is surprisingly easy.

Changkyun learns that Hyunwoo and Kihyun have been best friends since they were toddlers, and that Kihyun had never intended to become a tattoo artist, having instead majored in photography while at university. It was only after Hyunwoo had purchased the tattoo parlour that Kihyun decided to turn his lifelong love of drawing into something more than a hobby, finding a new passion in inking his sketches onto a different sort of canvas.

Changkyun tells Kihyun about his determination to become a tattoo artist, despite the fierce opposition he faced from practically every adult in his life. He'd been a top student growing up, and could easily have followed in his father's footsteps as a scientist if that had been the career that he'd wanted to pursue. Whilst Changkyun's parents had eventually decided to support his choice of career, they'd still insisted that he work a part-time job to contribute towards his university fees - something that Changkyun had been more than happy to do.

As Changkyun talks, Kihyun listens to him intently, his expressions changing to match the topic in such an adorably endearing way that the younger man struggles to maintain his focus at times. Changkyun's never spent enough time with his fellow tattoo artist in the past to pick up on the subtle way that he wets his lips with his tongue whenever he's flustered, but the discovery only serves to enhance Kihyun's attractiveness.

"I'd better get going." Kihyun announces eventually, pulling his sleek, expensive looking phone out of his back pocket to check the time.

"It's not even two o'clock yet..."

Kihyun sighs deeply, running a hand through his wavy hair. "I have to be up bright and early in the morning. Breakfast at my parents' house begins at eight o'clock sharp, and you don't get any of the best side dishes if you're late."

"You couldn't skip it just this once?" Changkyun pouts, knowing that he probably sounds like a whiny baby, though he's too tipsy to care.

"You wouldn't ask me that if you'd ever met my mother." Kihyun chuckles, reluctantly rising from his seat.

"I don't think that your mother would like me very much. Punctuality isn't exactly my best quality." For some reason, the thought makes Changkyun frown.

"Maybe not, but her opinion about you isn't important to me." Kihyun smiles, brushing his fingers against Changkyun's knee with such a featherlight touch that it's easy to imagine that it never happened at all. "Do you know what I realised the other day? Even though we've been working together for over a year, I don't have any way to contact you."

Changkyun can't hide the beaming smile that breaks out onto his lips. "Is that your smooth method of asking me to give you my number, Mr Yoo?"

"No, I was actually after your email address." Kihyun teases, sticking his tongue out cheekily. "So... are you going to give it to me or not?"

Changkyun traitorous brain immediately latches onto Kihyun's innocent words and twists them into thoughts that he desperately tries to banish for the sake of his sanity. He sincerely hopes that the blush that stains his cheeks is hidden by the club's dim lighting. "As long as you don't mind me sending you memes at three o'clock in the morning, you can have my number."

"Wow, are you sure that you and Minhyuk aren't the same person?" Kihyun chuckles, handing Changkyun his phone without a moment's hesitation.

"Of course not; I'm much hotter than him." Changkyun quips with a playful grin, swiftly entering his number into the phone and handing the device back to its owner.

Kihyun doesn't say anything for several moments, seemingly mulling over his words before he responds, "I can't argue with that." The seemingly sincere words make Changkyun's mouth fall open in surprise. "Don't drink too much tonight - Hyunwoo can't keep an eye on Hyungwon, Minhyuk _and_ you. I'll see you at work." And with those parting words, Kihyun walks away, melting back into the crowd like he'd never even been there in the first place.

Now alone, Changkyun remains in the booth for a while, contemplating the events of that night. He'd actually managed to have a conversation with Kihyun without majorly embarrassing himself - an achievement that he'd previously thought impossible - and surprisingly, the conversation hadn't felt at all awkward or stilted. Changkyun had felt undeniably comfortable in Kihyun's company, and whilst that might not seem like a lot, it's progress - and really, that's all that he can dare to hope for.

• • • • • • •

**~ 24th December ~**

On Christmas Eve, the tattoo studio remains open until midday in order to accommodate a handful of last minute bookings. After Changkyun sends his last client of the morning on their way with an instruction leaflet that they probably won't abide by (the young lady seems like the type to spend her Christmas Eve drinking), he sets about tidying up his workspace in the hopes that he won't return to find mould growing on every surface in the new year. Changkyun turns up his old-school radio until it's blasting out the standard cheesy seasonal music, and then proceeds to holler out the lyrics at the top of his lungs with all the enthusiasm that he can muster. He's so wrapped up in his own little world that he nearly topples to the floor in a daze when somebody suddenly speaks from behind him.

"You have a great voice." Kihyun is leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe, a teasing grin plastered on his pretty face.

"How long have you been standing there?" Changkyun demands, clutching dramatically at his chest as he leans heavily against his desk to regain his composure. "Almost gave me a damn heart attack."

"I've been here for long enough." Kihyun grins in amusement, moving to perch on the edge of Changkyun's padded leather chair. "What's got you in such a good mood?"

"I had a burst of inspiration for a new tattoo piece while I was on my way to work this morning, so I'm looking forward to attempting to bring it to life on paper." Changkyun explains cheerily, immediately distracted from his shock as he gathers up his remaining art supplies and throws them haphazardly into his satchel.

Kihyun watches his actions with disapproval blazing in his dark eyes, though he chooses to hold his tongue. "So you'll be busy this afternoon?"

"Nah, it'll have to wait until I have the whole day to sit down and work on it." Changkyun sighs begrudgingly, knowing that the design will probably have to remain preserved in his rather finicky memory for several more days. "Have you got any plans for the rest of today?"

"Not until this evening." Kihyun shrugs, his expression briefly clouding over before he can recover his usual collected persona. "Since you're free now, do you want to grab lunch with me?"

Changkyun is understandably taken aback by the offer, since he's never been out to eat with Kihyun alone before, but he tries his best to play it cool, "Are you paying?" When Kihyun fixes him with a look, he hurries to elaborate, "I'm just curious - especially since you keep on insisting that you need to earn my forgiveness, which you most certainly don't."

Kihyun rolls his eyes, but Changkyun can see that he's biting back a smile. "Fine, I'll buy - but that means that I get to pick what we're eating."

"Sounds like a plan." Changkyun struggles into his coat and loops his satchel over his shoulders before turning to face Kihyun with an expectant expression. "Lead the way, Mr Yoo."

Twenty minutes later, Changkyun finds himself standing on the sidewalk outside of an ice cream parlour - so heavily decked out in dainty Christmas lights that it could easily have been pulled straight from a fairytale - with his hands shoved deep inside his pockets in an attempt to protect them from the bitterly cold winter air. " _This_ is where you want to eat?"

"What's wrong with this place?" Kihyun pouts stubbornly, his woollen beanie slipping down adorably to cover his eyes. "You'd better not be shaming me for my ice cream cravings."

"It's literally negative degrees outside!" Changkyun points out, his warm breath clouding in the air around him as if to highlight his reasoning. "Besides, this sort of place doesn't match my image; I'm going to frighten all of the little kids!"

Kihyun bursts out laughing at the thought, imaging a group of children running away from someone as gentle as Changkyun just because of his intimidating appearance. "Please - even _I_ know that underneath all of that ink, you're practically made out of rainbows and sprinkles."

"Don't forget the unicorns." Changkyun adds, unable to restrain himself. "And for your information, I was talking about my sparkling good looks. This chiselled jawline is sharp enough to be considered a weapon."

"You're impossible." Kihyun snickers, shoving playfully at Changkyun's shoulder. "Let's go inside before you cut someone with your _deadly_ jawline and get us both arrested."

Kihyun holds the door open for Changkyun as he ushers the younger man into the building, whereupon they're instantly hit by a wall of warmth the moment they step inside. The interior of the ice cream parlour is decked out in even more Christmas themed decorations than the exterior, with neon snowflakes and dancing snowmen adding bursts of festive colour to every available surface. Unfortunately, Changkyun barely has time to further examine his surroundings before the lady behind the counter is enthusiastically beckoning them over, beaming sunnily as if her two long-lost sons have just returned home. Luckily for Changkyun, it seems as if most of her attention is focused on his companion, "Kiki! It's always so lovely to see you!"

" _Kiki?_ That's possibly the cutest thing I've ever heard!" Changkyun splutters at the nickname, trying his hardest to hold back a flood of giggles as Kihyun's ears instantly flush bright red.

"If you breathe a word of this to Minhyuk or Hyungwon, I won't hesitate to end you." Kihyun hisses through gritted teeth, before turning to politely greet the cheery lady. "Hello, Ahjumma. I'm sorry that I haven't visited in a while; work has been keeping me busy. I promise that I'll drop by more often in the new year."

"Nonsense, child! We'll be happy to see you whenever you can spare the time." The middle-aged woman hushes him, before - rather worryingly - turning her attention to Changkyun, who's half-tempted to hide behind his colleague. "And who's this handsome young man that you've brought along with you?"

"This is my friend Im Changkyun; we work together at the tattoo parlour." Kihyun gently rests a reassuring hand on the small of Changkyun's back as he introduces him, smiling encouragingly as if he can sense the younger man's hesitation.

"It's nice to meet you." Changkyun bows deeply, feeling the need to make the best impression possible on this stranger.

"Tattoos are such a meaningful form of art. I'd have loved to have gotten one myself when I was younger, and my beauty was still intact." The lady sighs wistfully, as if she's fondly remembering the lost days of her youth. "Sadly, my looks have faded now, so the time for such things has passed for me."

"You're still very beautiful now, Ahjumma." Changkyun insists, flashing her his most dazzling smile.

"Well aren't you quite the charmer!" The woman claps her hands together happily, pleased by the compliment. "Both of you can choose whatever you'd like from the menu; it's on the house."

"Ahjumma, we can't - " Kihyun attempts to protest, but is immediately cut off by the stubborn lady before he has the chance to get his words out.

"No, I insist. You two handsome young men deserve it."

Whilst Kihyun still seems reluctant to accept the offer, he eventually gives in and orders himself two scoops of ice cream - one coffee, the other cookie dough. Changkyun opts for a slice of chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream, which tastes like heaven on a plate.

The two men profusely thank the Ahjumma before settling down at an empty table in the corner of the parlour, away from the squabbling children and fussing mothers.

"So... we're friends now?" Changkyun dares to ask as he scoops a generous forkful of cake into his mouth, his tastebuds practically melting at the divine taste.

Kihyun appears momentarily stunned by the question, though he hides it quickly by shovelling a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth to mask his bewildered expression. "I think we are. I mean, going out to eat together is something that friends usually do, isn't it?"

"If you were my friend, you'd let me try a bite of your ice cream... _Kiki_." Changkyun teases, hoping that he isn't pushing his luck too far in his state of happiness.

"I'm beginning to think that you might be a little bit evil, Im Changkyun." Kihyun chuckles, though he doesn't hesitate to scoop some of his own dessert onto his spoon and into the younger man's waiting mouth. "I wish I had my camera with me right now - your face whenever you eat something delicious is just too funny."

"Do you only use your camera to take photos that you can use as blackmail?" Changkyun pouts, licking a stray dribble of ice cream from his lips, which only makes Kihyun laugh harder as he shakes his head. "Now I'm curious about what you _do_ photograph."

So Kihyun tells him. He'd been gifted a camera by his parents the year he turned ten, and from then onwards he'd developed a passion for the art form. For Kihyun, photography is a way to preserve a tiny piece of the world - a method of sealing a perfect memory into a frame that can be reminisced about for years into the future. Whilst Changkyun isn't particularly one for taking photos himself, he understands Kihyun's mindset on the matter, since capturing significant moments is something he tries to focus on in his own art.

Eventually the pair start discussing their favourite art styles, during which Changkyun happens to make a passing comment about having never seen Kihyun's portfolio.

"If you want to see some of my work, I have my sketchbook with me?" Kihyun offers bashfully, as if thinks that he'll be turned down.

Changkyun immediately scoots around the booth to sit beside him, his interest piqued. Kihyun just chuckles at his eagerness as he hands his precious sketchbook over, knowing that it'll be safe in Changkyun's possession. Then he turns his attention back to the slushy puddle that the last of his ice cream has become, hesitant to watch the younger man leafing his way through Kihyun's most beloved work out of fear that he'll get the sort of reaction he always dreads receiving.

Fortunately, Changkyun is far from disappointed by Kihyun's work - he's captivated by the detailed sketches. Whilst Changkyun's always been entranced by the photos of his fellow artist's work that are on display around the tattoo parlour, nothing could have prepared him for Kihyun's portfolio.

"This is unreal, Kihyun." Changkyun breathes, his fingers gently tracing the delicate lines of the detailed sketches as he marvels at the skilful shading showcased in the drawings. "I knew you were talented, but I didn't know it was to _this_ extent."

"Thank you, Changkyun." Kihyun manages to mumble, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment at the praise. "Since becoming a tattoo artist was never my intended career, I've worked as hard as I can to improve my skills."

"Well it's clearly paid off." When Changkyun flicks to the next page, he's so awestruck by what he sees that he almost sends the sketchbook clattering to the floor. "You... this is..."

The charcoal sketch is smudged in places, but that does little to hide that the subject of the image is none other than Changkyun himself, sitting alone at the bar with a drink in his hand, the bright lights of the club casting shadows across his face. Changkyun suddenly finds himself struggling to breath.

"It's you." Kihyun says softly, carefully prying the sketchbook out of Changkyun's hands and tucking it back safely into his bag. "I couldn't get that image out of my head, so I did the only thing I could think. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable."

"You don't need to apologise." Changkyun assures him, his pulse racing. "It's beautiful, Kihyun."

"Changkyun, I..." Kihyun whispers, his eyes latching onto Changkyun's own with such intensity that it's hard for the younger man to not tear his gaze away. Then he begins to lean in achingly slowly, until their faces are so close together that Changkyun can feel Kihyun's warmth breath tickling his cheek, and for one breathless moment, Changkyun is sure that their lips are about to connect.

Suddenly, Kihyun jerks back like he's been slapped, his dark eyes wide with confusion and something else that Changkyun can't identify.

"I... I'm sorry - I need to go." Kihyun stammers, jumping out of his seat so quickly that he only just narrowly avoids whacking his knee against the table. "Have a great Christmas, Changkyun. I'll... I guess I'll see you in the new year."

Before Changkyun even has time to process those words, Kihyun has already bolted out of the ice cream parlour, leaving him alone to try and figure out what the hell just happened.

• • • • • • •

**~ 31st December ~**

Throughout the years that they've lived together, Changkyun has come to understand that sharing an apartment with Lee Jooheon has many benefits. For one, he's never short of entertainment. The nature of Jooheon's job as a producer necessitates the need for him to form strong connections with a wide array of individuals embroiled in the music scene. Consequently, Changkyun's best friend is constantly being handed invitations to some of the most elite social events that Seoul has to offer as if they're pieces of candy - events that Jooheon is insistent on Changkyun attending alongside him - so the younger man is rarely consumed by boredom.

However, living with Jooheon also comes with its downsides - the most prominent one being that his best friend has developed a jarringly accurate ability to decipher when Changkyun is lying.

"So you're telling me that you don't want to attend one of the best New Year's Eve parties in the city just because you'd rather stay home and watch reruns of some crappy drama?" Jooheon raises a sceptical eyebrow, fixing Changkyun with a withering look that the younger man does his best to ignore by burying himself in his mountain of plushies.

"I'm just really tired, Joo." Changkyun mumbles, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. It's almost two o'clock in the afternoon, but he wants nothing more than to spend the rest of the day lounging around in his dinosaur-themed boxers.

"You've been asleep for over ten hours, Changkyun." Jooheon informs the younger man, his forehead creased in concern. "Even if you don't want to party tonight, you still need to eat."

Changkyun tries desperately to avoid the inevitable scolding by burying himself under a mound of blankets. "I'm not hungry."

"Did something happen, Kyun?" Unfortunately, Jooheon can read his best friend like a book. "The only time I've seen you act like this before was after you broke up with your ex."

Jooheon's question isn't an easy one to answer. In what's probably an enormously stupid move for his sanity, Changkyun chose to keep his mouth firmly sealed shut about the details of his bewildering experience with Kihyun at the ice cream parlour - because truthfully, even he can't wrap his head around the intense moment that passed between them. Had Kihyun really been about to kiss him, or was Changkyun simply projecting his feelings onto a situation where there was truly nothing but innocent intent? Even after replaying the scene on repeat in his head during the long, sleepless nights following the incident, Changkyun is still no closer to solving the mystery. In any case, Kihyun hasn't bothered to text him even once over the holiday period, which only serves to heighten Changkyun's uncertainty, since complete radio silence is never a positive sign.

"Nothing happened, Joo." Changkyun lies, scratching his head absentmindedly as he tries to shake all thoughts of Kihyun from his mind. "I guess I'm just missing being at the studio. There's only so much sketching I can do before I start to lose my mind."

"Then maybe you should do something to distract you for a while?" The suggestion is offered with calculated caution - almost as if Changkyun is a wild animal that Jooheon's trying his best not to spook, lest he lash out at him. "I'm not going to force you to come out with us tonight, but I think it might take your mind off of... everything."

That immediately gains Changkyun's attention. "Wait... _us_?"

"Did I not mention that I invited our friends?" Jooheon frowns, trying to recall their previous conversations.

" _Which_ friends?" Changkyun suddenly finds himself sitting bolt upright - as if his body is acting of its own volition in response to his mild panic.

"Hoseokie, as well as everyone from the tattoo studio except for Kihyun. Apparently he has a prior commitment that he can't get out of attending."

Changkyun's tension immediately melts away at the assurance that Kihyun will be absent from the party, since he simply isn't mentally prepared to run into his colleague after the way that their last encounter had ended. "Which one of your many friends is hosting this party?"

Jooheon's face immediately lights up, unable to hold back his trademark dimpled smile. "Jackson Wang. You remember him, right? He was pretty famous for his legendary parties when we were still at university."

"I remember." Changkyun can distinctly recall becoming _very_ well acquainted with Jackson after a particularly wild party - though he'd never disclosed that encounter to Jooheon. "Okay then - I guess we're going out."

"Really?" Jooheon launches himself onto Changkyun's bed, nearly crushing the younger man in his excitement.

Changkyun nods, unwilling to let the confusing situation with Kihyun ruin his night. "Let's do it."

• • • • • • •

Everyone's eyes are on Changkyun the moment that he steps through the door, and this time, he _knows_ that it's because he looks really fucking hot. Dressed in his tightest leather pants and a midnight-black shirt that's only half buttoned, Changkyun is well aware of how enticing his fashion choices make him look - especially when paired with his piercings and tattoos.

Hyungwon's first words to him that evening had been, "I can just tell that tonight you're either going to fuck someone, murder them, or _both_." Changkyun thinks it best not to mention that the reason for his dramatic outfit is his perplexity over their very own colleague.

In a turn of events that really shouldn't have been a surprise to Changkyun, within five minutes of arriving at the party, all three of his lovely companions have ditched him. It's not difficult to guess what sort of activity Hoseok and Hyungwon have ventured off to partake in when the ulzzang is dressed in scandalously ripped jeans and a tight body suit, but Jooheon's disappearance is surprisingly unexpected - especially considering that he'd been so keen to ensure that his best friend enjoyed his night. Minhyuk never even shows up to greet Changkyun, probably too preoccupied with throwing down on the dance floor to think about saying hello to his colleague. Still, Changkyun doesn't dwell on the betrayal for very long, choosing instead to drown his sorrows in liquor like the responsible adult that he is.

By the time that Hyunwoo finds him, Changkyun is already three and a half beers down, and the pleasant haze of drunkenness is beginning to cloud his mind.

"Thought I might find you here." Hyunwoo immediately sets about prying the bottle from Changkyun's hand and replacing it with a can of grape juice that he swipes off the counter instead. "I've been told to make sure that you don't drink so much that you blackout tonight, and I intend to keep my promise."

"You're not even going to get me a straw?" Changkyun pouts, his words coming out a little slurred.

"You're too cute for your own good." Hyunwoo chuckles, though he immediately begins searching through the kitchen cupboards in order to fulfil his friend's request. "Any particular reason why you're so eager to get drunk tonight?"

"Don't wanna talk about it." Changkyun mumbles, raking a hand through his tousled hair. "I heard that your best friend's too busy to be here tonight."

"Kihyun's spending the night with his family this year." Hyunwoo informs him with a grimace, as if he couldn't think of any worse way to spend the day.

"I heard that they like punctuality." Changkyun giggles to himself, recalling the conversation he'd previously had with Kihyun on the topic.

Hyunwoo shrugs, finally succeeding in his quest to find a straw. "Ki's parents are... uptight - and that's putting it mildly."

Changkyun can't hold back his amused snort. "I guess that shouldn't really surprise me, considering that their son isn't exactly the most relaxed individual in the world." He vividly remembers witnessing Kihyun relentlessly smacking a laughing Hyungwon over the head with his sketchbook during his first week working at the tattoo studio, after his friend had accidentally chipped the rim of his favourite coffee mug.

"I've known his parents for practically my entire life, and they still mildly terrify me." Hyunwoo confesses, proudly sliding the straw into Changkyun's drink, who immediately latches his lips around it and sucks happily. "Are you going to be alright by yourself for a while? I haven't seen Minhyuk since we first got here, which tends to mean that he's up to no good."

"I'm twenty-two years old, Hyunwoo - if I haven't managed to accidentally crack my head open yet, I'm sure that I can survive for one more night." Changkyun attempts to give his friend a solemn salute as a sign of his trustworthiness, but instead just ends up almost poking himself in the eye with his own fingers.

"Surprisingly, that's not very reassuring." Hyunwoo mutters, sighing deeply as he gives Changkyun's head a fond pat. "Make sure to call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Sure thing, Papa Bear." Changkyun chirps, earning himself one last incredulous look from Hyunwoo before his friend disappears into the bustling crowd, leaving Changkyun to slurp his way through another two cans of grape juice alone.

At two minutes to midnight, Changkyun's traitorous friends are still nowhere to be found. Whilst he's huffing grumpily under his breath about having been abandoned, Changkyun scrolls through his Instagram explore page in search of a dog photo that will cheer him up.

Nothing could have mentally prepared him for seeing the picture that lights up his phone screen, because instead of stumbling across an adorable puppy, Changkyun discovers a staggering photo of Kihyun posted earlier that evening by an account that he doesn't recognise.

Kihyun looks as breathtaking as always in a sleek black tuxedo, a neat bow tie the same colour as his gorgeous pastel pink hair adorning his slender neck. However, Changkyun's eyes don't linger on his friend's figure for very long. What captures his attention is the way that Kihyun's arm is looped around the waist of one of the most beautiful women that Changkyun has ever laid eyes upon. Everything about the mysterious stranger screams that she's a million times more sophisticated than Changkyun could ever dream of being. Her long, golden hair looks expensively styled, and her stunning ruby-red dress wouldn't look out of place on the cover of a high-end fashion magazine. In the photo, the woman's attention is focused solely on Kihyun as her face lights up in a joyful smile - as if in that moment, the universe only consists of the two of them.

Changkyun tries his best to suppress his turbulent emotions, though he quickly realises that his efforts are in vain when his brain comprehends the singular piece of jewellery that the woman is wearing. The implication of the diamond encrusted ring that adorns her delicate hand is unmistakable; Kihyun is engaged to be married.


	2. The Illusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the support on part 1! Reading your thoughts on my writing really makes me happy & motivates me to keep on going, so please continue to leave me comments!
> 
> Without further ado, here’s the second part - featuring two new characters!

**~ 6th January ~**

Changkyun's always taken pride in his ability to pretend. Due to his excellent bluffing skills, he has a proclivity for raking in the jackpot whenever his acquaintances invite him to play a game of poker (which isn't very often anymore, considering that he rarely loses). Despite what Hoseok and Jooheon might try and claim, when Changkyun truly chooses to keep his emotions carefully hidden, the mask that he's perfected over the years is extraordinarily effective. Consequently, when the tattoo studio reopens after the winter holidays, Changkyun throws himself back into his work, and no one questions the reserved demeanour he cloaks himself in.

For the first few days, it isn't difficult to avoid Kihyun. All four of the studio's artists are flooded with appointments, meaning that there's little time for them to socialise with each other, limiting their interactions to swift greetings when their paths cross in the lobby. For the most part, the limited contact suits Changkyun just fine. He isn't entirely sure how he's supposed to act in front of Kihyun after the discovery of his colleague's secret engagement. Should he casually drop the subject into conversation, or is it better to avoid the topic altogether? Changkyun can't decide which is a better solution, so he does his best to push all thoughts of Yoo Kihyun out of his head and focus on his job instead.

Changkyun's luck manages to hold up until mid-afternoon on his third day back at the studio. For once, he's eating alone in the break room, not wanting to stink out his studio with the pungent smell of reheated haddock - both for his own sanity, as well as for his clients' sakes. Unfortunately, just when Changkyun thinks that he might make it through the day without bumping into the one person that he's trying his best to avoid, Kihyun strolls into room. Without pausing to greet his colleague, Kihyun plucks his lunchbox out of the fridge and proceeds to flop down onto the plush couch beside Changkyun, draping a knitted blanket around his shoulders in an attempt to ward off the relentless winter chill.

For several long, awkward minutes, neither of the men speak a word - and although Changkyun keeps his eyes firmly trained on his food, it's almost impossible for him to ignore the way that Kihyun's gaze remains fixed on him as he eats. Eventually, Changkyun can't take the stifling silence anymore. He finally manages to gather up enough courage to glance over at Kihyun, one eyebrow arched in question. "Can I help you?"

Kihyun proceeds to grin brightly, as if he isn't hiding a secret that threatens to shred Changkyun's heart into pieces."Am I not allowed to sit next to my friend?"

Oh. So Kihyun really _is_ going to pretend that he isn't hiding a stunning secret from everyone around him. Consequently, Changkyun has no choice but to follow along with the charade of normality, since it's clear that Kihyun has no intention of revealing the life-changing news.

"Of course you can - there's no law against it." Changkyun plasters the most realistic fake smile he can muster onto his lips. "Though I will warn you that I'm eating reheated fish, and I've been told that the smell is enough to knock out three fully grown lions."

"That's what that smell is?" Kihyun grins, wrinkling his nose in mock-disgust. "I just thought that Minhyuk had forgotten to take a shower after his gym session this morning."

The lighthearted joke unwittingly makes Changkyun chuckle under his breath. He's been so flustered recently over the shocking revelation of Kihyun's engagement that he'd forgotten how natural it feels to just sit and talk to his friend. "Honestly, I think a sweaty Minhyuk has more of a mouldy cheese smell lingering about him."

"That's pretty accurate. Can you believe that some people actually enjoy eating that shit?"

"It's not _that_ bad." Changkyun admits with a shrug. "If I'm at the store and I'm feeling a little bit fancy, I'll occasionally buy myself a slab of blue cheese - although I do tend to forget about it, so it just gets even _more_ blue in the back of the refrigerator until Jooheon finds it and makes me throw it out."

"If I was him, I'd make you scrub the entire shelf clean in the bathtub to get rid of the smell." Kihyun admits with a shiver, as if the unpleasant smell has manifested directly under his nose.

"I remember Hyungwon telling me about you cleaning out the inside of your fridge the minute you got back from Japan, just because something smelt a little bit weird." Changkyun teases, shovelling a forkful of his food into his mouth. "Didn't Minhyuk post a video of it online somewhere?"

"I'm seriously about to revoke my friendship with all three of you." Kihyun scowls jokingly, before quickly changing the subject. "Speaking of Hyungwon... you know that his birthday is coming up soon, right?"

"I remember." Changkyun struggles to hold back his grimace at the unwanted reminder, which he's already received upwards of a dozen times over the course of the past week courtesy of a certain Lee Hoseok. "Hyungwon's doting boyfriend won't let me forget it."

"So I'm guessing that you've already bought him a present?"

"I was foolish enough to agree to go gift shopping at the mall with Hoseok at the beginning of the month." Changkyun shudders at the memory of the total chaos that the shops had descended into as the day dragged on, and the crowds appeared in their hoards to seek out the premium January sales. "Let's just say that it wasn't the most relaxing shopping trip I've ever taken." It didn't help matters that he'd still been processing the revelation of Kihyun's engagement at the time - the image of his blissful expression as he stared dreamily into the camera lens scorched into Changkyun's memory.

"At least you're organised. I still have no clue what to buy for him." Kihyun groans, scrubbing a hand across his face in frustration. "Do you think the mall will be a little bit quieter now that the post-Christmas rush has ended?"

"I'd imagine so. When it comes to shopping, humans have surprisingly short attention spans - especially when they're not being persuaded to buy something that they never even thought they needed previously, but now they simply _have_ to get it since the price has been slashed in half."

"You have a very cynical view of the world, Im Changkyun." Kihyun chuckles, as Changkyun tries to prevent his heart from melting into a puddle of slush at the way his name sounds on Kihyun's lips. "Want to come shopping with me?"

The question takes Changkyun completely by surprise, and he subsequently begins to choke on his mouthful of fried fish. When Kihyun hands him his open bottle of strawberry milk in a blind panic - probably convinced that his colleague is about to suffocate before his very eyes - Changkyun takes it eagerly, swallowing down several mouthfuls before his spluttering mercifully ceases.

"Are you alright?" Kihyun is watching him with wide eyes, his brow furrowed in concern.

"I think so." Changkyun takes a handful of deep, calming breaths to soothe his aching throat. "Just busy nearly dying - no big deal."

"I was seriously beginning to regret having never learnt the Heimlich manoeuvre for a moment there." Kihyun's amused smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Is that your way of declining my invitation? I guess almost dying is as good a way as any to reject the offer - if not a little bit harsh."

"Trust me, I don't hate the mall enough to die because of it." Changkyun frowns down at his traitorous lunch, unable to decide whether he wants to risk taking another bite. "Do you not know anyone who'd actually _enjoy_ going with you?"

Kihyun pauses to think for a moment. "Well, I suppose I could invite someone who'd probably like going shopping more than you, but I'd also rather not spend the entire day waiting for them to try on every single dress that they come across."

"So I'm your second choice?" Changkyun hopes that his voice isn't laced with bitterness as he stabs aimlessly at the remainder of his fish.

Kihyun pouts at that, as if Changkyun is the one who hurt _his_ feelings. "If I didn't want you to come with me, why would I have invited you?"

"Because you want to see me suffer?" Changkyun mutters, cautiously resuming his meal and ensuring that he thoroughly chews every tiny morsel to within an inch of its life.

"How about if I buy you a meal? Will you come with me then?"

"You tried that one last time, and then we both ended up with free food." Changkyun points out, unable to hold back his smile at the memory of their outing to the ice cream parlour, which almost seems like it was a lifetime ago. "I'm starting to suspect that you don't actually have any money."

"Then I guess we'll just have to keep eating together until my debt is finally paid." Kihyun tells him solemnly, his eyes shining with hope. "So... will you come with me?"

Changkyun should decline the offer. He's fully aware that no good can come of spending time alone with the man that he's spent a year harbouring a hopeless crush on (he's given up on trying to deny it), and yet for some reason, Changkyun can't bring himself to turn Kihyun down. "As long as I don't have to wake up before nine o'clock in the morning, I'll be there."

Kihyun's entire face lights up, as if Changkyun has agreed to travel halfway across the world with him, rather than just helping him to choose a present for their lanky beanpole of a friend. "I'll decide on the details and let you know - but I promise that I won't drag you out of bed before the sun's risen above the horizon."

Before Changkyun can respond, Minhyuk sticks his head around the door, his crystal nose stud glinting under the studio's synthetic lights. "There's a walk-in client in the lobby that wants to talk to you about designing a tattoo, Ki. Are you free to meet them right now, or do you want me to tell them that you'll speak to them once you've finished your break?"

Kihyun sighs, stretching his arm above his head as he reluctantly clambers up from the couch. Changkyun tries not stare as Kihyun's shirt rides up a little, revealing a sliver of toned stomach that makes his pulse quicken. "I suppose I can probably squeeze in a consultation before my next appointment."

"I'll let them know that you'll be with them shortly - _short_ being the key part of that sentence." Minhyuk shoots Kihyun a cheeky salute, before swiftly slamming the door shut when the pink-haired man throws a Totoro plushie (Hyunwoo really does own the least intimidating tattoo studio in the country) at his friend's head.

"He's such a brat." Kihyun groans, as he shoves his lunchbox back into the fridge, which has become covered in artistic doodles and silly inside jokes throughout the years. "I guess I'm going to be pretty busy for the rest of the day. I'll catch you later, alright?"

"Sure. Try not to murder Minhyuk in the meantime, yeah?"

"I'm not making any promises!" The pink-haired man sings merrily as he exits the room, leaving Changkyun alone once again, wondering whether he'll ever be free from the hold that Yoo Kihyun has on him.

• • • • • • •

** ~ 8th January ~ **

As their tradition dictates, Changkyun begrudgingly joins Hoseok at the gym for their weekly session. The two friends haven't worked out together since before the fateful New Year's Eve party, as Hoseok had been far too busy to canoodling with his boyfriend to make it out of their apartment the following day. Consequently, Changkyun is now being forced to endure a series of high intensity exercises, when all he really wants to do is curl up on his couch and shovel a bucket of french fries into his mouth.

Halfway through their gruelling stint on the exercise bikes, a curiously familiar flash of blonde catches Changkyun's attention. It takes him several moments to process why he recognises the figure that the long, golden hair belongs to, but when he does, his feet falter on the pedals, immediately breaking his previously determined stride.

In what can only be a cruel twist of fate, Changkyun realises that the woman running peacefully on the treadmill is none other than Kihyun's fiancé. Though her pretty face is makeup free, and she's dressed in simple patterned yoga pants and a loose sweater, the woman is just as beautiful as she had been in the photograph. Whilst a person's looks certainly aren't everything, Kihyun seems to have hit the jackpot in that department.

"What the fuck are you doing, Kyun?" Hoseok asks, sweat dripping down from his fringe and into his eyes, clouding his vision. "It's only been ten minutes - you can't give up already!"

"Do you see that girl over there?" Changkyun gestures vaguely in the direction of where the woman is jogging on the treadmill, chatting quietly to the lady beside her, who sports strikingly long, orange hair. "The one that's blonde, and has a figure that I'm extremely jealous of? That's Kihyun's fiancé."

"Kihyun's _what_?" Hoseok splutters, almost falling off of the bike in surprise. "Since when did he even have a girlfriend? Hyungwon never mentioned that Kihyun was dating anyone."

"Hyungwon didn't even know that Kihyun had an older brother until three months ago." Changkyun reminds him, unable to tear his gaze away from the mysterious girl. "Kihyun's always been secretive, so I guess we should've known that he'd keep his relationship hidden as well."

"But this isn't just something small, Kyun - he's going to get married! Does Minhyuk know about this? Did he tell _Hyunwoo_?"

"I'm not sure yet, but you can't tell anyone else about this, Seok - not even Hyungwon." Changkyun tries to keep his voice as steady as possibly, clinging onto his scarily calm demeanour as best as he can. "I only found out by accident, so we have to keep it a secret in case Kihyun's planning to surprise everyone with the news."

"They'll certainly be surprised..." Hoseok mutters, still squinting at the blonde-haired girl as if she's an alien invader simply inhabiting the woman's body. "This whole thing is just so out of the blue. I've always thought that Kihyun had a thing for - "

Hoseok immediately snaps his strong jaw shut when his brain processes the fact that the two women are now fiercely staring back at the men, their gazes a surprisingly charming mixture of amusement and irritation. When the blonde-haired lady's dark eyes latch onto Changkyun's own, he swears that he feels a chunk of his heart break off and disintegrate into dust. Seeing her in the flesh just makes it all seem so... real.

"I'm going to get some more water." Changkyun mutters under his breath, clutching his bottle tightly to his chest as he barrels his way towards the water cooler in the foyer. As he refills his drink, trying his hardest not to spill any of it with how violently his hands are shaking, Changkyun does his best to calm himself down, attempting to coach himself into accepting the situation; Kihyun is going to get married to a beautiful girl, and Changkyun will forever be nothing more than a minor background character in his friend's fairytale. If he wants to move forward with his life, he has no choice but to face the crushing reality of the situation - even if that means letting Kihyun go.

Changkyun almost spits out a fountain of water when he turns around to find the orange-haired woman stood directly behind him, her eyes narrowed menacingly in what's clearly an attempt to seem intimidating. Despite the woman being several inches shorter than him, Changkyun finds himself retreating back several steps, until his back is virtually pressed up against the wall.

"Were you checking out my friend?" The woman demands, tightening her bright orange ponytail in what Changkyun can only construe as an attempt at a threatening gesture.

"What? Of course I wasn't!" Changkyun protests, waving his hands about defensively. "I can promise you that I'm not some sort of creep who only comes to the gym in the hopes of picking up girls."

"That sounds like something that a pervert would say." The girl is still eyeing him suspiciously. When she speaks, the way that she puts emphasis on certain words indicates that Korean isn't her first language.

"Where are you from?" Changkyun asks, before he can think better of the question and stop himself.

"Now it sounds like you're hitting on _me_." The corners of the girl's lips quirk upwards into an amused smile. "But since you're so interested in me, both my friend and I are from Japan."

"I promise that I'm not interested in getting with you _or_ your friend." Changkyun thinks it best not to mention that it's actually her friend's fiancé that he's interested in.

"Good, because you'd be embarking on a hopeless endeavour." The girl tells him, in what is so clearly an attempt at demonstrating her most sophisticated Korean skills that Changkyun can't help but find it strangely adorable. "I'm not into guys, and Mina's getting married very soon, so we're both off limits."

Changkyun's heart drops down into his stomach, because his assumption had been correct. Kihyun really was going to get married. "Mina... she's the friend that was on the treadmill next to you?"

"Yes, that was Mina, and I'm Sana - y'know, just in case you were interested in knowing the names of the women you're trying to stalk."

"I'm Changkyun. I'd say that it's nice to meet you, but I'm really not appreciating your sass." Changkyun forces himself to smile, knowing that this 'Sana' woman isn't to blame for his heartache.

"Oh, I haven't even reached my full sass capacity yet." Sana grins, fiddling absentmindedly with the charm bracelet that adorns her dainty wrist. "You should see me when I'm tipsy - no one is safe from my sparkling wit."

"Then I hope we never go out drinking together."

"You never know - the world's a small place." Sana tells him sagely, and Changkyun can't bring himself to retort that there's actually seven billion people on planet earth. "I need to get back to my workout - and this time I hopefully won't get distracted by any perverts."

"You're really not going to let that go, are you?"

"Of course not." Sana giggles, playfully slapping Changkyun's shoulder as if they've known each other for years, rather than just a few minutes. "See you around, Kyunie!"

Now that he's finally alone, Changkyun sinks down to the ground and buries his face in his hands, feeling as if his heart has been torn out of his chest and trampled into the ground - because now that he's seen Mina with his own two eyes, it's finally crystal clear that Kihyun will never view him as anything more than a friend.

And even though Changkyun's always known that Kihyun would never return his feelings, that doesn't make the reality any less painful.

• • • • • • •

**~ 11th January ~**

Against his better judgement, Changkyun decides not to cancel his plans to visit the mall with Kihyun. After all, he's already promised that he'd be there - and he's never been one to flake out on a prearranged meeting. Besides, regardless of whether Changkyun likes it or not, he's still going to be colleagues with Kihyun for the foreseeable future. If he doesn't want his life at the studio to be shrouded in a dark cloud of miserable self-pity, he has no choice but to make peace with his reality. He's sure that if he's given enough time, he'll be able accept his position in Kihyun's life as nothing more than a friend.

For some unfathomable reason, Kihyun decides that a Monday evening is the best time for their shopping trip. Changkyun doesn't understand the logic behind his choice, but thinks better of getting into a debate over it. If Kihyun happens to be one of those bizarre people who're still somehow bursting with energy after finishing work for the day, who is Changkyun to judge him for it?

Since Changkyun's afternoon appointment had been cancelled at the last minute, he decides to drop by his apartment to shower and change his clothes before meeting Kihyun at the mall at the designated time. Unfortunately for him, his plan doesn't pan out entirely like how he'd mapped it out in his mind. The first problem is that he has to meticulously trawl through his closet in search of his favourite leather jacket - only to remember at the last minute that he'd leant it to Jooheon the previous week, and then having to search through his best friend's things instead. Then, as he's getting ready to leave, he suddenly realises that can't remember where he left his phone earlier that afternoon. Eventually he finds it lurking underneath the couch (he doesn't even begin to question how it ended up _there_ of all places), but by then he's already fully aware that he isn't going to make it out of his apartment on time. Changkyun is running almost fifteen minutes late by the time that he arrives at the mall, desperately praying that Kihyun isn't going to berate him for his inability to arrive on time.

When Changkyun finally manages to track his colleague down, Kihyun is leaning lazily against the wall like he owns it, looking as breathtaking as always in a pair of skinny jeans and a knitted sweater - so oversized on his slender form that the tips of his fingers only just peek out of the sleeves.

"You're late." Kihyun teases once Changkyun is standing in front of him, an amused smile tugging at his lips.

"There was... traffic." Changkyun makes a weak attempt at an excuse, which only serves to make Kihyun burst out laughing, before raising a sceptical eyebrow.

"You walked here, didn't you?"

"Maybe..." As embarrassing as it is, Changkyun feels the need to confess the truth to his friend. "It took me longer than I expected to track down the clothes that I wanted to wear, and then when I was about to leave, I realised that I'd misplaced my phone."

"As flattering as it is, you didn't have to get all dressed up for me." Kihyun chuckles, letting his fingers momentarily linger on the soft leather of Changkyun's jacket, before swiftly taking a step back when he realises what he's doing. "But since that jacket looks great on you, I'll let your tardiness slide just this once."

Changkyun is momentarily lost for words, because it almost seems as if Kihyun is... flirting with him, which surely can't be the case. Rather than letting the dangerous thought linger in his brain, Changkyun tactfully guides the conversation back on track. "So, where are we heading to first?"

Kihyun smiles wickedly, beckoning to Changkyun as he starts walking at a swift pace. "Follow me."

The pair end up at an arts and crafts store, where Changkyun has spent more money than he cares to remember over the years. It's definitely a smart idea on Kihyun's part, because he'll almost certainly be able to find something that suits Hyungwon's tastes in the store. Changkyun browses his way through the hundreds of sketchbooks on display, judging the quality of their designs.

"Do you have any idea what you want to buy for him?" He asks, admiring the cartoon elephant motif on the sketchbook he's currently holding.

Kihyun shakes his head morosely, seemingly a little overwhelmed by the wide range of products that the store stocks. "The problem with Hyungwon is that he always seems so indifferent to things like this. How am I supposed to know what he likes if he doesn't show any reaction to anything?"

"I guess that an expression of perpetual blankness is just the curse of having a face like his." Changkyun nods solemnly in agreement - because as much as he loves to tease Hyungwon for looking like a mix between a frog prince and a beanpole, even he has to begrudgingly admit that his friend is unfairly handsome.

"What did you buy for him?" Kihyun asks curiously, tossing a set of paintbrushes into his basket.

"Just a pair of shoes that he's had his eye on for a while, as well as some of the snacks he's always craving." Changkyun shrugs, feeling grateful that Hoseok had been able to provide him with information on his boyfriend's current likes and dislikes. "Maybe you could get him something that he can use everyday? Hyungwon's the type to prefer practical gifts over flashy, purposeless presents."

"Oh! I remember him talking about wanting to try out a new type of oil paint last week, so maybe I could get him something like that?"

"Sounds like a plan." Changkyun nods in agreement, leading the way towards the expansive aisle brimming with painting supplies. Whilst Kihyun busies himself with tracking down the correct type of paint, Changkyun scans the shelves for his favourite watercolour palette, wincing a little at the price when he finally finds it. Whilst the product isn't extortionately expensive, he's always been a bit of a cheapskate, so forking out money for his supplies is never something he looks forward to doing.

"What have you got there?" Kihyun suddenly speaks from directly beside Changkyun, making him startle.

"It's nothing really. Just making sure that they still stock my favourite palette."

"I recognise these." Kihyun squints at the box, inspecting it more closely. "You let me borrow them the day I forgot my own, didn't you? I didn't realise they were your best watercolours."

"It's not a big deal. They've almost run dry, so I don't mind lending them out." Changkyun does his best to downplay the situation, because there's no way in hell that he's going to admit to having had a crush on Kihyun back in December, when they weren't even friends. It's almost incomprehensible to him that their relationship has changed so much over such a short period of time - even if it is in a purely platonic sense.

"If they've nearly run out, are you going to yourself buy a new set?"

"Nah, I think I'll wait until the situation gets really dire. In case you can't tell, I like to live my life on the edge."

"You're aware that you're _really_ not funny, right?" Kihyun grins, carefully popping open the lid of the dainty set of acrylic paints that he's holding.

"Yoo Kihyun! Are you trying to get us banned from the store?" Changkyun hisses, struggling to hold back the tidal wave of giggles that threaten to spill out of his mouth.

"What? I'm going to buy the paints, so I might as well test them out."

"Well in that case..." Before Kihyun can attempt to stop him, Changkyun dips his finger into the paint and smears a dollop of the bright yellow substance across his friend's cheek.

"Oh, so that's how you want play this?" The grin on Kihyun's face is downright menacing as he swipes his fingers along the bridge of Changkyun's nose, leaving a streak of cornflower blue paint directly along it. "Bring it on!"

The impromptu paint fight lasts for several minutes, and by the time that it's over, both men are coated in every colour of the rainbow and totally breathless from laughing so hard that their chests ache.

"I can't believe we just did that!" Kihyun gasps, doubling over as he attempts to catch his breath. "I'm too old to be doing shit like this."

"You can never be too old for fun." Changkyun informs him through his hiccups, hastily throwing the half-empty set of paints back into the basket.

"I'll take your word for it." Somehow, despite having paint streaked haphazardly through his pink hair, Kihyun is still insanely gorgeous. "I bet we're going to get some very judgemental looks from the cashier."

"Just feign ignorance. They'll never suspect a thing." Changkyun suggests, making them both break out into another fit of giggles.

Once their primary mission of purchasing a birthday present for Hyungwon has finally been accomplished (followed by the two men attempting to wash all of the paint from their skin in the bathroom), since Changkyun's stomach hasn't ceased performing its surprisingly accurate impression of a whale call for almost half an hour, Kihyun leads the younger man to his favourite restaurant in the mall.

"A chicken store?" Changkyun raises a sceptical eyebrow at the dubious choice.

"Are you going to question all of the food choices that I make?" Kihyun jokes, lightly nudging Changkyun with his shoulder. "First the ice cream, and now the chicken - are any of my favourite things safe from your scathing critique?"

"I'll stop judging you when you start making better life choices." Changkyun quips, though the delectable smell of fried chicken instantly erases all other thoughts from his brain the moment that Kihyun drags him inside the store, forcing him to sit down while he goes up to the counter to order for them.

"Did you really pay for this?" Changkyun asks doubtfully when the food arrives, before bursting into laughter at the scandalised expression on his friend's face. "What? I'm just curious!"

"I genuinely did pay for the food, you brat!"

"I think I've started to inherit Minhyuk's attitude." Changkyun smirks, unable to resist taking a dig at their absent friend. "Thank you for the food!"

The chicken is undeniably delicious, and the pair focus on devouring their food until towards the end of the meal, when Kihyun breaks the comfortable silence that's settled between them. "Where do you see yourself being ten years from now?"

Changkyun is momentarily startled by the sudden question, though he manages to hide his surprise quickly. "I guess I haven't really thought too much about it, because I've never really been a fan of planning my future when I can live in the present."

"Do you think you'll still be working at the studio?" Kihyun presses, seemingly keen to know more.

"If I still enjoy my job as much as I do now, then I don't see why I'd leave _Fantasia_." Changkyun shrugs casually, before taking a thoughtful sip of his soda. "Theoretically, in ten years time, I'd like to be in a stable relationship with someone that I love - but I don't know whether that's necessarily realistic. If the opportunity arises, then I'd like to spend some time travelling to places that I've never seen before. The world is a beautiful place, and if I'm ever running low on inspiration, I hope that I'll be able to find something out there that'll help me to rekindle that creative spark." After having spent so many years living abroad when he was younger, it's fair to say that Changkyun has a passion for exploring the planet. "So now that you know my answer, where do _you_ see yourself in ten years?"

"Well... hopefully I'll have gotten married - probably in a foreign country with only our closest friends and family present." Kihyun's blatant statement on such a personal subject causes Changkyun to inhale sharply in surprise, immediately shattering the dreamy expression in his friend's eyes. "Do you not believe in marriage?"

"It's not that..." Changkyun hurries to remedy the situation, not wanting to ruin Kihyun's fantasy. "I just... I feel like I'm too young to even be thinking about marriage at the moment."

"I used to think that too, but life is full of surprises."

"I know." After the past few weeks, Changkyun thinks he knows that better than anyone. "Other than marriage, what do you want in life?"

"More than anything, I want to be happy." Kihyun confesses quietly, his voice wavering slightly as he struggles to meet Changkyun's gaze. "I want to live my life in a way that I can be proud of."

"Do you think you're doing that?" Changkyun asks gently, his heart throbbing frantically in his chest.

"I'm trying." Kihyun sighs deeply, his dark eyes shining with an emotion that Changkyun can't identify. "I'm really, really trying."

"Then it'll be alright, Kiki." Even though he knows it's probably only going to heighten his pain in the future. Changkyun reaches across the table and takes Kihyun's hand in his, squeezing it comfortingly. "You'll be okay."

Kihyun doesn't even flinch - simply lets Changkyun hold him for a moment. "I hope you're right, Kyun."

• • • • • • •

**~ 20th January ~**

The morning starts off like any other average Wednesday. The initial January rush has finally settled down to the steady flow of clients that they're accustomed to handling on a daily basis - and as much as the studio's tattoo artists love the work that they do, they all collectively sigh in relief at the prospect of their schedules returning to a manageable state.

Changkyun occupies himself with lounging about lazily in the spacious lobby, taking advantage of his empty morning schedule and testing out the new high-end massage chairs that Hyunwoo's recently installed in the waiting room (he claims that they're to help calm their clients' nerves before they face the biting teeth of the tattoo needle, but Minhyuk's convinced that their boss is just looking for an excuse to add an air of finesse to the studio).

Regardless of the reason for the unnecessary purchase - not that Changkyun's complaining - the massage chairs certainly seem to be a worthwhile investment. Within ten minutes of collapsing down into the soft leather, he's already beginning to drift between the land of dreams and reality - which is probably a result of having stayed up until the early hours of the morning playing Mario Kart with Jooheon. In fact, Changkyun's so busy basking in the comfort of the plush leather that he somehow manages to remain oblivious to the melodic tinkling of the entrance's charming little bell, signalling the arrival of a client. Consequently, when a strangely familiar feminine voice mutters something directly beside his ear, he almost tumbles out of the chair in shock.

"I told you that the world's a small place." The woman chirps, clasping her hands together gleefully at having been proved right.

Changkyun isn't proud of the high-pitched shriek that rips its way out of his throat at having been startled awake so abruptly. "What the _fuck_ just happened?"

"Nice of you to join us, sleeping beauty." Hyungwon smirks from his position sat atop the reception desk, swinging his long legs absentmindedly as he scrolls though his phone.

"That's rich, coming from you." Changkyun mutters, knowing full well that his colleague regularly takes a nap during his lunch break. After rapidly blinking his eyes a couple of times to clear away the fogginess, Changkyun is finally able to look around at his surroundings in search of the source of the noise that disturbed his sleep. When he looks to his left, he comes face to face with a familiar orange-haired Japanese girl.

"Sana?" Changkyun jerks bolt upright, still not entirely convinced that his tired eyes aren't betraying him.

"Aww, you remember me!" Sana teases, clutching her hands to her heart. "I'm so touched."

Changkyun's unable to resist rolling his eyes as he stifles a yawn, stretching his arms out above his head. "Not that it isn't great to see you again, but what the fuck are you doing here?"

"I'm chaperoning Mina."

"Fancy word." Changkyun whistles, gratefully taking the hand that Sana offers him to help pull himself out of the chair.

"I'm learning a lot of Korean by just being in Seoul." Sana explains enthusiastically. "When I'm in Japan, I only have my girlfriend and Korean friends to help teach me; it's much easier here because I'm constantly surrounded by the language."

"Sorry to butt in, but I feel like I'm missing something here." Hyungwon interrupts, eyeing the pair dubiously from across the room. "How do you two know each other?"

"None of your business." Changkyun grumbles under his breath, receiving a light slap on the arm from Sana as penance.

"We met at the gym the other day. His blatant staring distracted my friend and I, so I decided to confront him. Turns out that Kyunie isn't actually a stalker." Sana giggles, nudging Changkyun playfully with a bony elbow.

"Speaking of your friend... where actually is she? I though you said that Mina was with you?" Changkyun is a little surprised to find that the blonde-haired girl is absent from the waiting room.

"She has an appointment with Kihyun this morning." Sana informs him, as she wanders over to admire the impressive mural of an expansive underwater scene that Hyunwoo had commissioned Minhyuk to paint on the wall the previous year. "Mina's been wanting to get a tattoo that'll be meaningful to both her and her husband-to-be for a while now - so who better to design the piece than the person who knows her fiancé better than anyone else in the world?"

"Makes sense, I suppose." Changkyun pouts, hoping that he doesn't sound as sulky as he feels. Whilst he's slowly beginning to accept the news of Kihyun's engagement, it doesn't mean that the sting has dulled. "How long is her appointment supposed to take?"

"Not too long. They're just finalising the details of the design and the location of the tattoo today, so it probably shouldn't last for more than an hour - provided that they don't get distracted." Sana tentatively runs her delicate fingers across the extraordinary detailed dolphin.

Unfortunately for Changkyun, Hyungwon seems to be feeling particularly nosy that morning. "Distracted by what?"

"Hey, Sana?" Changkyun cuts off Hyungwon before his friend can open a line of enquiry that he _really_ doesn't want to think about. "Do you want to hang out in my studio while you wait? It'll beat hanging out here with the frog."

"Well fuck you too." Grumbles Hyungwon, sticking his middle finger up at Changkyun as he slides off the reception desk, heading towards his own studio. "My next client's arriving soon anyway and I still need to organise my gear, so I'll be taking my sparkling wit elsewhere."

"You'll be dearly missed!" Changkyun calls after him, only to hear the door slam loudly in response, reverberating noisily around the studio. "He's always such a pleasure to be around in the morning."

"He's pretty cute. Grumpy, but adorable." Sana mutters under her breath, her attention occupied by the large folder she's picked up from the coffee table. Upon further inspection, Changkyun recognises it as his portfolio. "Y'know, you never actually told me _why_ you were staring at Mina and I that day at the gym."

Although Changkyun blanches at the idea of telling Sana the _real_ reason for his curiosity towards her friend, he figures that telling her part of the truth is his safest best. "I actually recognised Mina. I saw a photo of her on Instagram by chance - the one of her and Kihyun taken on New Year's Eve."

"That _was_ an adorable picture." Sana hums thoughtfully as she leafs through Changkyun's portfolio. "So that photo of Mina was the reason you were looking in our direction? I thought you said that you weren't interested in her?"

"I'm not interested in _Mina_." Changkyun corrects her hastily, before quickly biting down hard on his bottom lip when he realises what he's just unintentionally alluded to.

Fortunately, if Sana picks up on his suspicious words, she chooses not to mention it. "Do you want to know what meeting you has taught me?"

With nothing else to occupy his attention, Changkyun decides to humour her. "What have you learnt?"

"That you should never judge a book by its cover." She tells him solemnly, brushing a loose strand of her bright orange hair out of her eyes. "When I first approached you at the gym, you had such a dark, intimidating aura that I was actually a little scared to speak to you."

"It's not the first time that I've been told that." Changkyun admits with an unbothered shrug. "I don't think that the tattoos and piercings help to soften my first impression very much."

"Probably not." Sana chuckles, as she continues to scan through Changkyun's artwork. "But in reality, there's actually nothing scary about you at all. You seem like a good guy."

Changkyun isn't entirely certain how to feel about the compliment. "Thank you?"

"You're welcome." Sana mutters, her attention having been captured by a specific page in the portfolio that Changkyun can't quite see. "Can I ask you something?"

"I suppose so." Changkyun is beginning to get a bad feeling about the situation, but he knows that he's more likely to raise Sana's suspicions if he declines. "Fire away."

"Kihyun's your friend, right?"

The words instantly make Changkyun's blood run cold, because even though they're spoken seemingly innocently, he can't help but worry that Sana can see straight through the facade he's so used to hiding behind. "Yes, we're friends."

Sana hesitates for a moment before she speaks - almost as if she's mulling over her words before she blurts them out. " _Just_ friends?"

Changkyun can feel a bubble of panic swelling up in his chest, but he forces himself to remain calm. He can't afford for Kihyun to find out the truth, because then he risks losing the tentative friendship they've formed, which is the only thing he's ever going to have. " _Just_ friends - and we weren't even that until a month ago."

"I believe you, Kyunie. It's just... Kihyun talks about you a lot, and I just thought that maybe - "

"Well you thought wrong." Changkyun tells her firmly, shutting down the conversation before it has the chance to venture into dangerous territory.

"I didn't mean to - " Before Sana can finish her sentence, her phone begins to buzz frantically from her back pocket. "Excuse me, I need to take this call. I'm really sorry, Changkyun - it's not my place to pry."

"It's okay; I forgive you. I'm sorry for snapping at you." Changkyun mumbles weakly, earning himself a grateful smile and a gentle pat on the head before the orange-haired woman hurries off to answer her phone.

Now alone, Changkyun runs his hand through his dark hair in frustration, suddenly feel more exhausted than he has all morning - but before he can begin banging his head against the wall in exasperation, his attention is grabbed by the sight of his portfolio, still lying open on the table in front of him. When he realises what sketch is currently on display, Changkyun feels his heart plummet down into his stomach - because how could Sana not have questioned his feelings for Kihyun when a drawing like that is on display right in front of her eyes? Changkyun had truly believed that he'd been successfully hiding his feelings all along, but in reality, perhaps the only person that he's been deceiving is himself - he just hopes that he's managed to fool Kihyun too.

• • • • • • •

**~ 26th January ~**

Changkyun's never really been a big fan of celebrating his own birthday, so when Hyunwoo offers him the opportunity to take some time off to enjoy his special day, Changkyun politely declines. He's perfectly content with spending the day working at the tattoo studio, before meeting up with his friends in the evening to grab a couple of drinks at their favourite bar. It's a simple, tame way to celebrate, but he enjoys it just as much - if not more - than a wild night at the club.

While Changkyun doesn't like to make a big fuss about his birthday, he also doesn't particularly care for receiving presents - although that's never stopped Hoseok and Jooheon from showering him with a wide range of weird and wonderful gifts in the past; it quickly becomes apparent that this year's birthday is no exception. Despite being the youngest - and self-proclaimed cutest (with the exception of Kihyun, of course) - tattoo artist currently employed at _Fantasia_ , Changkyun is grateful that he doesn't have to spend the majority of his time being babied by his colleagues. On the twenty-sixth of January, however, that all changes.

When Changkyun arrives at the studio that morning with an overly-excited Jooheon in tow, he's surprised to find that the break room has been decked out in bright fairy lights and decadent paper chains, alongside a colourful array of gifts that display an impressive range of hilarious wrapping techniques; there's even a sponge cake with a slightly wobbly - but still hopelessly endearing - wolf cub iced onto it. The scene is so unexpectedly heartwarming that Changkyun has to blink back tears as he allows Hyunwoo to place a bejewelled, plastic crown onto his head.

"Happy birthday, Changkyunie! Our precious baby is finally growing up!" Hoseok sniffles, wrapping the youngest man in a suffocating bear hug.

"You've said the same thing every year since I turned thirteen."

"Because it's true!"

It takes the combined strength of both Hyunwoo and Hyungwon to pry Hoseok off of Changkyun. "Stop suffocating the poor kid and let him open his gifts."

For once, Changkyun allows himself to enjoy receiving gifts. Whilst the majority of the presents are heartfelt gifts that mean a lot to him, there are also several comedic presents that make the entire group laugh so hard that their chests ache. Surprisingly, Changkyun even receives a gift from Sana, having made the mistake of mentioning his upcoming birthday to her when he'd bumped into her at the coffeeshop the previous week. Her present to him is a delicate polaroid camera, with an attached note that simply reads, ' _This is your world too, Changkyun. Don't be afraid of capturing the moments that you'll regret missing for the rest of your life_ '. The message causes Changkyun to tear up for the second time that day.

"Why don't you try some of the cake?" Minhyuk prompts after all of the gifts have been opened, fluttering his eyelashes in his best attempt at feigning innocence.

"Okay...?" Despite fearing that his taste buds are about to be assaulted by the fiery taste of wasabi, Changkyun accepts the slice of cake that Hyunwoo cuts for him. However, he never gets the chance to bring his fork to his mouth.

"For fuck's sake, Minhyuk!" Jooheon scolds the tattoo artist through his uncontrollable giggles, unable to hold back his laughter at the sight of Changkyun with frosting smeared across his face, courtesy of Minhyuk deciding that he needs to _wear_ his cake, rather than eat it.

"What? It's traditional!" Minhyuk smirks, licking a blob of stray icing off his finger.

"Since when?" Hyungwon asks dubiously, his eyes half shut as he leans his head dozily on his boyfriend's broad shoulder.

"Since now!"

"I'm so going to get you back on your birthday." Changkyun grumbles, scooping a mound of frosting from his hair and wiping it onto Minhyuk's face, before also plopping a dollop onto the end of an innocent Hoseok's nose.

"My birthday's in November. Your goldfish memory won't remember this conversation in a year's time." Minhyuk retorts, using the exact same taunt that Changkyun had come up with the previous month - since he always seems to possess the memory of an elephant whenever it's least convenient for those around him.

"Remind me not to invite any of you to _my_ birthday party." Hoseok mutters, as he hopelessly attempts to lick the frosting from the tip of his nose.

"Well, as grateful as I am that you guys threw me a party, I have work to be getting on with." Having allowed Hyunwoo to help him wipe away the majority of the cake icing, Changkyun rises from his seat, cheerily saluting his friends as he makes for the door. "Have fun cleaning up this mess!"

"Why don't you have to help?" Whines Minhyuk, already scrubbing frosting off his cheek.

"It's the privilege of being the birthday boy!" Changkyun calls over his shoulder as he heads towards his studio, oblivious to the middle finger that Hyungwon flips him behind his back.

It doesn't take him long to set up his equipment for the day ahead, but before Changkyun can properly settle down to work on his sketches, a knock at the door captures his attention. When he looks up, he's surprised to see Kihyun casually leaning against the doorframe in a way that quickly seems to be becoming a habit, a Pororo gift bag hanging from his slender fingers.

"Can I come in?"

"Are you going to leave if I say no?" Changkyun quips with a playful smile, pushing his sketchbook aside.

"Probably not." Kihyun grins, stepping into the studio and closing the door behind himself, before moving to perch on the edge of Changkyun's desk. "Happy birthday, Kyun."

The words take Changkyun by surprise, since Kihyun hadn't attended his impromptu party that morning. "I didn't realise you knew it was today."

"I know everything." Kihyun wiggles the gift bag in front of Changkyun's surprised face. "This is for you."

"You really didn't have to get me anything."

"I know I didn't have to - but I wanted to."

Time seems to move in slow motion as Kihyun untangles the bag from his fingers and hands it over to the younger man. When he cautiously reaches inside the bag, Changkyun is surprised to find himself pulling out not one, but two gifts. The first is a brand new set of Changkyun's favourite watercolours - the same palette that he'd been eyeing at the store earlier that month - which he can't quite believe that Kikyun has splashed out the money for. The other present is a delicate sculpture of a wolf carved out of obsidian, with tiny shards of ruby glinting in its eyes; it's almost too perfect to be true.

When Changkyun finally looks up, Kihyun is chewing nervously at his lip. "So... what do you think?"

"I love them, Kihyun - thank you so much. You really didn't have to get me anything, but these are the perfect gifts." Changkyun beams, hugging them tightly to his chest.

"Good, I'm glad." Kihyun suddenly leans in so close that his warm breath tickles the younger boy's forehead. "Do you realise that you have frosting in your hair?

Changkyun does his best not to melt as Kihyun gently combs his fingers through his fringe in an attempt at removing the unwelcome icing. "Minhyuk’s a total menace."

"Trust me - I know."

"Are you still busy tonight?" When Changkyun had invited his group of friends to the bar to grab a drink and celebrate his birthday without any excess glamour, Kihyun had been the only one to reject the offer on account of having prior plans. Changkyun supposes that secretly planning a wedding keeps him fairly busy.

"I wish I wasn't." Kihyun sighs tiredly, fiddling absentmindedly with the sleeve of his baby blue sweater. "I hate that I always have to miss out on spending time with the group, but I have a lot of family commitments at the moment which I can't get out of."

"I understand, Ki - family comes first." Changkyun assures his friend, burying the disappointment he's feeling. "Besides, the gifts are more than enough to make up for it."

"I know they're not the greatest presents in the world, but I really wanted them to mean something - and hopefully the longer I spend getting to know you, the more meaningful they'll become."

"So you're planning on sticking around for a while?"

"Of course. We're only just getting started."

"You're so cheesy." Changkyun laughs, unable to hide the way that the idea makes him light up inside.

"But it made you smile." Kihyun grins, using his thumb to gently wipe a smudge of icing from the corner of Changkyun's mouth. "And if you're happy, then so am I."

• • • • • • •

It's only eleven o'clock in the evening, but Changkyun is already gloriously drunk. The problem with going to a bar on your birthday is that everyone insists on buying you a drink, and Changkyun's friends are no exception to the rule - so by the time that he stumbles out onto the rooftop terrace, he's consumed far more beer than is healthy, and his thoughts are tumbling haphazardly around in his head like clothes being clumsily thrown around in the wash. Consequently, when Changkyun pulls out his phone and begins scrolling through his contacts until he finds the one he's searching for, his brain doesn't warn him that calling people whilst intoxicated can only ever end in disaster.

"Changkyun? Are you okay?" Kihyun picks up on the fourth ring, his voice laced with confusion.

"I'm absolutely dandy! In fact, I've never felt better!" Changkyun tells his friend enthusiastically, taking another long sip from the bottle of beer that he's clutching tightly in one hand.

"You're drunk, aren't you?" Although Changkyun's words are barely coherent, Kihyun still manages to catch them.

"Of course I am! It's my birthday! I wish you were here though. Everything would be perfect if you were here!"

Kihyun curses under his breath, waves of exasperation rolling off of his body. "I wish I was there too, Kyun. I wish I could spend your birthday with you."

"I understand why you can't be here, though. You need to be with... to be with your family, and... and..." Changkyun stammers over his words, struggling to find a way to voice his thoughts when his brain is dissolving into mush. "I understand it, Ki - I really do."

"Understand _what_ , Changkyun?"

The younger man sighs deeply, running a hand through his dark hair. "That you can't be here because of those icky feelings."

"My feelings?" Although Changkyun's too out of it to recognise it, there's a slight edge of nervousness to Kihyun's voice as he questions his friend. "What feelings, Changkyun?"

"You're trying to keep them a secret, but I already know." Changkyun let's out a loud hiccup, his vision spinning a little. "It's okay though. I like her, so I can handle it."

"Her?" Kihyun sounds momentously confused by Changkyun's words. "Who is it that you like?"

"Mina, of course." Without warning, Changkyun's knees begin to buckle beneath him, so he grabs onto the building's railing to support himself. When he looks up, he gets momentarily distracted by the stunning view out over Seoul, which is illuminated prettily by the lights of the city. "The night is so beautiful, Kihyun. I just wish that - "

"It's too cold for you to be outside, Changkyun." Kihyun gently scolds the younger man, keeping his voice calm, yet firm. It's clear that Changkyun is very drunk, so it's pointless for him to try and persist with their initial conversation. "You need to go inside before you freeze. Will you do that for me?"

Despite the fact that Kihyun can't see him, Changkyun fixes his mouth into his finest pout. "But I like it out here."

"Please, Kyun?"

"Fine. You seriously act like my mother sometimes." Changkyun whines, though he does as he's told with little resistance.

"So I've been told." Kihyun chuckles, sighing in relief as he hears the sound of the music growing louder with every step that Changkyun takes. "You're back inside the bar now, right?"

"Yes."

"And you can see Hyunwoo and the others?"

"I'm standing directly in front of Hyungwon, who is currently glaring at me." Changkyun informs Kihyun proudly, before cheekily sticking his tongue out at the man in front of him. Hyungwon just rolls his eyes, and goes straight back to watching Hoseok beat random strangers at arm wrestling like the smitten boyfriend that he is.

"Good. Make sure that you get one of our friends to take you home safely, okay? Can you promise me that you'll do that, Changkyun?"

"I promise."

"Okay, that's good. Make sure that you don't drink anything other than water from now on." Instructs Kihyun, knowing that his friend is likely going to wake up in the morning with a killer hangover.

"You do know that you're not _actually_ my mother, right?" The younger boy huffs grumpily, which makes Kihyun laugh.

"I'm going to hang up now."

"Thank you for answering my call." Changkyun whispers, his voice suddenly sounding more sober than it has all evening. "I love you, Kihyun."

Kihyun doesn't respond immediately, taking a few moments to collect himself after the unexpected remark. "You're drunk, Changkyun."

"Maybe I am." Changkyun sighs, swaying so dangerously that he has to grab onto the bar to stop himself from ending up in a heap on the floor. "But that doesn't mean that it isn't true."

• • • • • • •

**~ 27th January ~**

When Changkyun finally manages to pry his weary eyes open the following morning, he has the pleasure of being greeted by potentially the worst hangover he's ever had the misfortune of experiencing. The moment he cautiously props himself up onto his elbows, he feels as if the Kraken itself is threatening to rise up from the pit of his stomach, and he has to immediately lie back down again to prevent himself from vomiting. After a few minutes of fighting off his overwhelming nausea, Changkyun finally manages to crawl his way out of his bed, barely daring to make the most minuscule of movements in his quest to find enough painkillers to dull his splitting headache. When he steps out of his room and is greeted by the mouthwatering smell of hangover soup, Changkyun's fairly certain that he's hallucinating - since neither him or Jooheon are capable of cooking anything even remotely complicated.

"Did I wake up in the wrong apartment this morning, because the last time I checked, you're barely capable of working the microwave." Changkyun calls out to his best friend as he wanders into the kitchen, only to freeze on the spot when his lagging brain processes who's _actually_ standing beside the stove.

"I'll have you know that I'm actually an excellent cook - but it's nice to know that this perfectly good oven is being totally wasted in your apartment." The unexpected visitor smirks, cheerily waving the ladle that he's holding as he tends to the bubbling pot of soup.

"You're not Jooheon." Changkyun manages to stammer, rubbing vigorously at his eyes as he attempts to clear what can only be a hallucination of Yoo Kihyun standing in his kitchen, dressed in Changkyun's very own apron, patterned with adorable dancing puppies wearing tiny bow ties. It's certainly an interesting look.

"It seems like you still have your vision, at least." Kihyun chuckles dryly, as he sprinkles a pinch of salt into the pot. "Are you going to be able to swallow some of this soup without instantly throwing it back up? I promise that it will make you feel better."

Changkyun nods bewilderedly, still feeling overwhelmed by the strange reality of the situation. "Did I die of alcohol poisoning last night?" That's the only explanation that he can come up with. Well, either that or a _very_ bizarre fever dream.

"Whilst I'm certainly pretty enough to be an angel, I'm fairly sure that this isn't heaven." Kihyun quips, placing a packet of aspirin tablets and a glass of water onto the table in front of Changkyun. "Take these; they should help with your hangover."

"How did you get into my apartment?" Changkyun pouts, though he doesn't hesitate to pop two tablets from the packet and swallow them with a huge gulp of water. "And thanks, by the way."

"I didn't break in, if that's what you're asking." Kihyun assures him, searching through the kitchen cabinets until he succeeds in finding a bowl. "Jooheon let me in this morning."

"And where is he now?" Changkyun has a few choice words to berate his traitorous best friend with when he gets his hands on him.

There's a small, knowing smile on Kihyun's lips as he gives the soup a final stir before lifting the pan off of the stove. "He went to grab breakfast with Minhyuk. Maybe he's finally getting the memo that the brat's actually into him."

"That ' _brat_ ' is older than you, remember?" Changkyun reminds him, still clutching his aching head as he takes another swig of his water. "And if Minhyuk wasn't such a notorious flirt, maybe Jooheon would have noticed months ago."

Kihyun snickers as he scoops a generous amount of soup into Changkyun's bowl. "Minhyuk's not even a month older than me - he doesn't get any special privileges."

"I know - he complains about it to me enough."

"Here you go." Kihyun places the bowl down in front of Changkyun, smiling like a proud mother. "It'll probably be a little too hot to eat immediately, so make sure that you blow on it instead of shoving it straight into your mouth."

"That's what she said." Changkyun jokes weakly, too exhausted to worry about feeling embarrassed by his humourless comment. "How did you know that I'd be hungover?"

Kihyun lets out an almost hysterical laugh, which sounds a little too high-pitched to be genuinely amused. "You don't remember calling me last night?"

Changkyun's hands immediately fly to his mouth, his cheeks automatically heating up at the thought of calling Kihyun while he was drunk off his ass. "What? I don't remember that at all! Please tell me I didn't say anything embarrassing, because I'll literally die of shame!"

"You didn't." Kihyun hurries to assure him, fighting to hold back his pained grimace at the revelation that the younger man remembers nothing. "You just blathered on for a bit about how glad you are that we're friends. If you hadn't been slurring your words so much, it would have been very sweet."

Changkyun breathes a deep sigh of relief, incredibly grateful that he didn't say anything to incriminate himself - since the last thing he needs is for Kihyun to find out the truth about his feelings. "Sorry about that - I tend to get a bit sappy when I'm drunk. I'm sure you weren't the only one I terrorised with a drunken phone call last night."

"Oh." Kihyun mumbles, sounding almost disappointed. "I guess you'd better check your call logs."

"This happens to me far too often. Next time, I'll just have to make sure that Jooheon confiscates my phone before we go out." Changkyun slurps up his soup, before sighing contently as he slumps back in his chair, feeling significantly less nauseous than he had when he first woke up. "Thank you for making this for me, Ki - you're an amazing cook."

Although he tries to mask his happiness at the compliment, the pink flush that stains Kihyun's cheeks immediately gives him away. "I'm glad that you appreciate at least one of my many talents."

"So... what do you want to do now?" Changkyun asks cautiously, unsure of how long Kihyun plans to stay in his apartment. "Joo and I leach off of Hoseok's Netflix account, so we could watch a movie?"

"No offence, Kyun, but you still kind of stink of booze and sweat." Kihyun wrinkles his nose in disdain as he gathers up the dirty pots and cutlery. To Changkyun's surprise, he actually begins to run water into them, rather than just allowing them to pile up in the sink until he can muster up the strength to deal with the mountain of crockery. "Why don't you go and shower whilst I clean the kitchen? Then we can watch a movie - as long I get to pick it."

"Rude." Changkyun mutters under his breath, though he immediately obeys. He's significantly less wobbly than before when he rises from his chair, making the short trip to his bathroom much less like trying to cross a minefield than it was the previous night.

As he strips off his clothes and steps under the tepid stream of water, Changkyun does his best not to focus on the fact that Kihyun is only a wall away. His brain is struggling to comprehend why his friend is even in his apartment in the first place, because surely a drunken phone call shouldn't be reason enough to trigger Kihyun to check up on him in person? The entire situation is far too confusing for Changkyun to delve into when he's still hungover, so he vows to interrogate his friends about the matter whenever he next sees them.

When Changkyun strolls back into the lounge after lathering himself in his nicest lemon-scented body wash - his hair still mildly damp and clad in his softest pair of pyjamas - Kihyun is stretched out on the couch, flicking through his Netflix account. "Find anything good to watch yet?" Changkyun flops down next to his friend, close enough that their shoulders brush together every time one of them shifts slightly.

"I spent most of my time browsing through your recommended shows." Kihyun shoots him with an intrigued smile as he presses play on a generic superhero movie. "You watch _a lot_ of anime."

"Don't shame me for my secret vices!" Changkyun pouts, swatting halfheartedly at Kihyun's arm, before letting out a stunningly loud yawn.

"Don't worry, Kyun - your secret's safe with me." Kihyun smiles softly, prodding gently at his friend's cheek. "If you're tired, you should take a nap while the movie's on. I'm in a good mood, so I won't draw on you while you sleep."

"Thank you for being here, Kiki." Changkyun whispers, tentatively resting his head on Kihyun's shoulder as the opening credits of the movie begin to roll on screen.

"You're never going to stop using that nickname, are you?"

"Of course not; it's adorable." Changkyun mumbles quietly as his eyelids flutter closed against his will, unable to fight off the tempting embrace of sleep any longer. It isn't long before he's sound asleep, snoring gently as the movie continues to drone on in the background.

Content that the younger man is sleeping too deeply to be aware of his surroundings, Kihyun only hesitates for a moment before leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on the sliver of exposed forehead peeking through Changkyun's dark hair. "Just like you; adorable."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading :)  
> Comments & Kudos are greatly appreciated!


	3. The Art

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said that I’d post this on the 7th, but since I finished writing it ahead of schedule, I’ve decided to post it early.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading the final part! Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated :)

**~ 12th February ~**

In celebration of the Lunar New Year, Hyunwoo surprises _Fantasia_ 's tattoo artists by arranging what's intended to be a relaxing getaway for them all, with the additional aim of helping them to strengthen their bond as a team. Changkyun's tempted to point out that their occupation doesn't ever actually require them to work together, but ultimately decides to hold his tongue - after all, who is he to turn down the offer of a free holiday?

So that's how Changkyun finds himself crammed into the back of the vintage Volkswagen camper van that Minhyuk - who's always been a sucker for aesthetics - had insisted on specially hiring for the trip. Since Hoseok and Jooheon are practically honouree staff members after having spent so much time at the studio over the past year, Hyunwoo generously extends the invitation to them too, which both men gratefully accept - eager to spend time with the group (and their respective boyfriends, of course).

Changkyun's never been to the coastal city of Sokcho before, so despite having to put up with the unpleasant experience of having Hyungwon's bony elbow digging into his side for the entirety of the drive, he's still brimming with excitement at the idea of visiting the ocean. Mercifully, the journey from Seoul to the east coast isn't a particularly long one. When they arrive at their accommodation after having spent the past two hours being bombarded by _very_ loud duets between Kihyun and Minhyuk, the group is suitably impressed by the house that Hyunwoo has arranged for them.

"Exactly how much money do you _have_ in your bank account, Hyunwoo?" Minhyuk whistles, admiring the sight of the sleek outdoor swimming pool.

"I'd be a lot richer if I hadn't let you and Hyungwon convince me to buy that coffeeshop last month." Hyunwoo points out, choosing to tactfully dodge giving his friend an actual answer to the question.

"I did tell you to never make big decisions when you're either tipsy, or surrounded by idiots." Kihyun reminds him, rolling his eyes good-naturedly as Hyungwon flips him off with a smirk.

Hyunwoo raises a sceptical eyebrow at Kihyun's comment. "Didn't I buy _Fantasia_ when I was drunk?"

"Stop ruining my point." Kihyun pouts grumpily. "Purchasing a café and allowing Minhyuk and Hyungwon to talk you into making it ' _ocean-themed_ ' is something you'll never be able to justify."

"The coffeeshop's profits have been amazing ever since it opened, so fuck you. It’s a good investment - and you both know it." Minhyuk sticks his tongue out at his friends, who just shake their heads in amusement, unable to argue with the facts being presented to them. "How many bedrooms does this place actually have, by the way? I swear if you've booked a big fancy house and then try to make us all sleep in the same room, I'm actually going to scream. I refuse to deal with Kihyun's snoring again after having had to live through it when we shared a dorm at university - I swear it was like living through an earthquake some nights."

"Oh, you really want to go there? Why don't we talk about the time that you - "

"The house has four bedrooms." Hyunwoo quickly interrupts Kihyun before he can begin spewing stories that are best left unrepeated. "You guys can decide on who you want to share with, and I'll sleep wherever, since I'm not that bothered."

"Well, I'm guessing that the couples will obviously want to be together.” Changkyun side-eyes his friends, receiving a wink from Hoseok that he wishes he could erase from his brain, "I'll be happy to share with you, Nunu."

Hyunwoo nods in agreement, pointedly ignoring the teasing kiss that Changkyun blows in his direction. "As long as the others agree, that works for me."

"Are you sure it's a good idea for you two to stay in a room together?" Kihyun asks cautiously, in a tone that's lighthearted, and yet somehow simultaneously deadly serious. "I mean, we all know about the time that you two slept together..."

"We aren't going to do... _that_!" Changkyun splutters, _really_ wishing that Kihyun didn't remember the story of the one and only time that he'd slept with Hyunwoo - back when he was prone to making questionable choices.

"Definitely not." Hyunwoo assures his friend sincerely, ruffling Changkyun's hair affectionately for good measure. "But if you're still worried about it, why don't you bunk with Kyun instead?"

"Wait, why do _I_ have to sleep in a room with Kihyun?" Changkyun tries to keep his tone as playful as possible to hide the panic brewing in his chest.

"What's wrong with sharing with me? I bought you lunch _twice_ last week, and now you don't even want to be in the same room as me?" Kihyun frowns, glaring moodily over at Changkyun.

"I didn't mean it like that - I just meant that we should decide the matter fairly, rather than letting one person choose." Changkyun insists, doing his best to cover his tracks whilst simultaneously appeasing Kihyun.

"I know how you can settle it..." Hyungwon chips in, a mischievous glint shining in his dark eyes. "You two should play rock-paper-scissors to decide. If Changkyun wins, he gets to share a room with Hyunwoo, and if Kihyun wins, he gets to share with Kyun. _Also_ , whoever loses has to jump into the pool."

" _What_?" Kihyun barks, apparently less than pleased with Hyungwon's idea. "The method to decide the rooms is smart, but why would we have to jump into the pool?”

"Because I say that you should." Hyungwon smirks gleefully. "Are you scared that you'll lose, Ki?"

The threat to his pride makes Kihyun bristle. "Of course not!"

As it turns out, when it comes to the game of rock-paper-scissors, Kihyun really doesn't have anything to worry about. However, unfortunately for him, Changkyun has no intention of being the only one to end up in the pool - despite having lost the game. Just as he's about to be catapulted into the water by Hoseok's immense strength, Changkyun grabs onto Kihyun's wrist, dragging his friend into the pool alongside him with a resounding splash. Despite the fact that the water is practically subzero - due to it being the middle of winter - Changkyun can't find it in himself to care. Luckily, neither can Kihyun. The two men laugh uncontrollably as they attempt to dunk each other underwater for almost five minutes, until Hyunwoo forces them to get out, concerned that they'll end up with hypothermia if they stay in the pool for any longer. In Changkyun's opinion, seeing the smile that's plastered on Kihyun's face as they're ushered inside the impressive house would make getting frostbite completely worth it.

By the time that Changkyun and Kihyun have peeled their sopping wet clothes off of their freezing bodies and showered away the lingering scent of chlorine, the rest of their friends have begun preparing dinner for the group. The moment that Kihyun sets foot in the kitchen and observes the disaster that is Jooheon attempting to cook _anything_ , he hurriedly shoos them out of the room, leaving the group to pass the time by drinking beer, playing video games, and laughing like lunatics whenever one of them says something even remotely amusing.

After having eventually managed to wrangle the disaster that his friends created in the kitchen, Kihyun manages to serve up one of the best meals that Changkyun's eaten in his entire life. Kihyun certainly wasn't exaggerating when he’d boasted about his cooking skills, and Changkyun is fairly certain that he could die happy with a stomachful of his friend's kimchi fried rice.

Once they've finished washing up the dishes (a task that everyone with the exception of Kihyun was roped into helping with), the group settle down to play what's supposed to be a relaxing game of cards. Unfortunately, no game can ever be even remotely calm when somebody as chaotic as Lee Minhyuk is involved, and by the time the evening draws to a close, every muscle in Changkyun's face aches from smiling so much.

It's certainly a night to remember - but what Changkyun doesn't know yet is that it's still far from over.

• • • • • • •

Dusk has well and truly fallen by the time the seven men fall into their cosy beds that night, pure exhaustion seeping from every pore in their bodies after enduring such a chaotic - yet undoubtedly amazing - day. Despite his initial anxiety about being forced to share a room with Kihyun, by the time that Changkyun’s changed into his pyjamas and scrubbed his face clean, he's struggling to keep his eyes open. Although he's walking the line between dreams and reality, Changkyun can't ignore the hushed voice that calls out to him from across the room.

"Changkyun?"

"Yeah?" He mumbles into his pillow, keeping his eyes firmly closed.

"Are you still awake?"

Changkyun can't help but snort at the stupid question. "No, I'm talking to you in my sleep."

"Fuck you." Kihyun grumbles, with an almost audible pout on his lips. "I'm really cold, Kyun."

"Are you using the extra blankets that Hyunwoo gave us?"

"Yeah, but they're not helping very much." Kihyun falls quiet for a few minutes, and Changkyun hopes that he's decided to drop the subject. Unfortunately, the universe isn't that merciful. "Is your bed warm?"

"You're _not_ getting into my bed." Changkyun warns him, squirming uncomfortably at the thought.

"Please, Kyun? I'm literally going to be an icicle by the morning if I stay over here."

"You shouldn't have chosen the bed by the window." Changkyun points out unhelpfully, though he does feel a little guilty that he's hogging the warmer side of the room. "Are you really too cold to even sleep?"

"I wouldn't be complaining if I wasn't."

Changkyun mulls Kihyun's words over in his head for a few moments. On one hand, he doesn't know how he'll be able to cope with Kihyun lying only a few inches away from him, but on the other hand, he feels terrible about leaving his friend to shiver all night because he's worried about his own feelings. After a miniature internal debate, the angel on Changkyun's shoulder finally claims victory. "Fine, you can sleep over here, but you have to stay on your side of the bed - and if your snoring is too loud for me to sleep through, I _will_ push you onto the floor."

"Seems fair to me." Kihyun shrugs, bundling the extra blankets into his arms and making the short journey across the room to Changkyun's bed. Once the younger boy has shuffled closer to the wall to make room for him, Kihyun doesn't hesitate to slide under the covers beside him.

Changkyun attempts to keep as still as possible, which is difficult when the man lying next is practically acting as a furnace. "Fuck, Kihyun - how can you feel cold right now? Your body's like a tiny hot water bottle." The younger man really hopes that the excess heat isn't a sign that his friend is getting ill after the impromptu dip in the pool.

"That's just my sexiness." Kihyun jokes, pointedly ignoring Changkyun's use of the word ' _tiny_ '. "If you're too warm, just take your shirt off or something."

"Why should I be the one who has to start stripping? You got into _my_ bed!"

"Sorry, I can’t hear you - I'm sleeping."

"Damn it." Changkyun grumbles, cautiously tugging his shirt over his head, since he knows that he'll never fall asleep with it on. To his relief, Kihyun's eyes are closed, making him feel far less self-conscious than he would if his friend was watching him undress.

Knowing that he won’t be able to sleep if he's too busy staring at Kihyun all night, Changkyun flips over to face the wall, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and willing himself to doze off. Eventually, he begins to feel the heavy shroud of sleep settle over him, but just as Changkyun begins to drift off, his composure is shattered when he feels the featherlight touch of fingertips skimming across his muscular shoulders.

"What does your tattoo mean, Kyun?" Kihyun whispers into the darkness, gently tracing each individual letter of the quote that has become Changkyun’s mantra: ' _I AM WHAT I AM_ '.

Even though he's trying his best not to react to the feeling of Kihyun's fingers dancing across his skin, Changkyun still has to take a few moments to compose himself before he's able to speak.

"Although I sometimes joke that it's just a terrible pun on my surname, it’s actually a lot more than that. It means that I don't want to hide the person that I am - that I want to do the things that I choose to do, love the person that I want to love, and fight for what I believe in." Changkyun takes a deep breath, fighting back the emotion that he always feels whenever he talks about the tattoo that means so much to him. "At the end of the day, there's only one me, so I want to live the life that I'm lucky enough to have without any fear of what others think of me. Reminding myself that I am what I am helps me to become a stronger person, because it stops me from losing myself in all of the noise. To me, what might seem like such a simple, trivial phrase is actually a light to guide me."

"That's beautiful, Kyun." Kihyun murmurs, pulling gently on Changkyun's shoulder until the younger man finally rolls over to face him. "The tattoos that tell a story about a person are always my favourite to design."

Having satisfied his friend's thirst for answers, Changkyun decides to ask Kihyun a question of his own. "Why don't you have any tattoos?"

Kihyun remains silent for so long that Changkyun thinks he's not going to receive an answer - and when he eventually does speak, his voice is soft, but mistakably firm. "Because until recently, I'd never found anything worth permanently inking onto my skin. I'm beginning to think differently now."

"What changed your mind?" Changkyun asks quietly, wholly expecting his friend to state his fiancé as the reason for his change of heart. To Changkyun's utter shock, that's not the answer he receives.

"I got to know you." Kihyun confesses, and although his words could easily be interpreted as being completely platonic, Changkyun's heart begins hammering away in his chest.

"M...me?" Changkyun stammers, bewildered by what he's hearing.

"Yes, you." Kihyun tells him with a nervous chuckle, as if even he can't believe what he's saying. "Of course it's you."

Caught up in the moment - in hearing the words that he's dreamt of hearing ever since he first laid eyes upon Kihyun - Changkyun does potentially one of the most reckless things he's ever done in his entire life; he leans in and presses his lips against Kihyun's.

For a split-second, Kihyun is too stunned to respond, but once his brain kicks back into gear, he melts into the kiss, shifting closer to Changkyun until their bodies are pressed tightly together. As Kihyun keenly bites at his bottom lip, seeking permission to deepen the kiss, Changkyun struggles to believe that he isn't dreaming. He's been in love with his fellow tattoo artist for so long that when Kihyun slips his tongue into his mouth, he can't contain the moan that slips out from between his lips as he savours the glorious feeling of Kihyun's fingers gliding across his skin. It's only when Kihyun's hands begin to wander across Changkyun's bare chest that the younger man is able to pull himself together, the perfect moment shattering as he wriggles away from Kihyun's touch, a feeling of dread rising up from the pit of his stomach.

"Wait... we can't do this, Kihyun - we need to stop!"

"What? Why?" Kihyun immediately pulls away, seemingly puzzled by Changkyun's sudden u-turn, his previously content expression quickly morphing into one of concern.

"Because it's wrong!" Changkyun snaps, pressing his back against the wall as he tries to control his breathing. He can't even begin to fathom the magnitude of what he's just done.

"You think that kissing me is _wrong_?" Kihyun asks slowly, the colour rapidly draining from his face with every passing second.

"Of course I do! I really, really wish that things were different, Ki, but we can't do this - the guilt's going to eat me alive!" Changkyun can hardly bear to think about the devastation that his actions could have on Kihyun's engagement. Someone as sweet as Mina - who smiles brightly at Changkyun every time she sees him, despite the pair having never spoken - doesn't deserve to have her happiness ruined because of his careless actions.

"Fuck you, Changkyun." Kihyun practically snarls, frantically brushing away the tears that cling desperately to his eyelashes. " _You're_ the one who kissed _me_."

"And you kissed me back!"

Kihyun shakes his head in disbelief, before quickly sliding out of the bed to put as much distance between himself and Changkyun as possible. "Yeah I did - but now I'm really beginning to wish that I hadn't." Without even looking back at the younger boy, Kihyun gathers up his pile of blankets and storms out of the room, practically slamming the door as he goes, leaving a shaking Changkyun alone to wallow in his misery.

It takes him a long time to fall asleep that night.

• • • • • • •

** ~ 13th February ~ **

When Changkyun wakes up the next morning, Kihyun is nowhere to be seen. Despite the fact that he'd expected to wake up alone, being faced with the reality doesn't do anything to dull the ache in his chest. He knows that he's screwed things up by kissing Kihyun - he just doesn't know if there's anything he can do to fix it.

Changkyun goes about his morning routine on autopilot, feeling almost like a zombie that has no control over its actions. His mind is buried under a heavy fog, leaving him unable to think clearly as he accidentally washes his hair twice before realising what he's doing. Once he steps out of the shower, he dries himself off with his eyes closed and avoids glancing in the direction of the bathroom mirror, not wanting to catch a glimpse of his tattoos - because he knows he'll be overcome with guilt if he does.

" _I am what I am._ " Changkyun mutters to himself as he dresses, pulling on a hoodie so big that he practically drowns in it. "The only thing I am is a fucking joke."

When he finally manages to drag himself into the kitchen, he's surprised to find his two closest friends already there. Hoseok leans casually against the fridge, chatting animatedly to the younger boy as he shovels down a bowl of cereal, his blonde hair still damp from the shower after having undoubtedly made use of the house's fancy gym facilities earlier that morning. Even more shockingly, Jooheon is practically glowing, looking as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as Changkyun has ever seen him at eight o'clock in the morning. Despite the turmoil that his own life is currently in, the peaceful scene eases Changkyun's pain just a little. It's a relief to know that his friends are happy - even if he isn't.

"You're up early, Kyunie." Hoseok beams, offering the youngest of the trio a cup of coffee, which Changkyun grateful takes. "I wasn't expecting to see you out of bed for a few more hours."

"I couldn't sleep." He mutters, running a hand through his dark hair in an attempt to ease out any stray tangles. "Where's everyone else?"

"Minhyuk and Hyungwon are still sleeping like the babies that they are, and Hyunwoo and Kihyun went out earlier this morning."

The information makes Changkyun's heart sink even further; Kihyun is definitely avoiding him. "Did they say where they were going?"

"Kihyun left a note saying they were hiring bikes, and that they won't be back before this evening." Jooheon explains, dumping his bowl into the sink, where it will probably remain for the rest of the day. "So much for team bonding, huh?"

"Can we do something today - just the three of us?" Changkyun asks cautiously - afraid that his friends will reject his request. "It's been forever since we hung out together."

"That's because _someone_ refuses to join us at the gym." Hoseok glares accusingly at Jooheon, who simply holds his hands up in surrender.

"Spending money on a gym membership is liking paying to be tortured; I don't understand why anyone would do it."

"Y'know, I’ve heard that Minhyuk likes guys who work out." Hoseok says with a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows teasingly at his friend.

"Well, Minhyuk can go fuck himself." Jooheon mumbles grumpily - though it's clear by the way that his ears flush bright red that the idea has been planted in his head. "Changkyun's right, though. Let's hang out as the original trio today - just like we did back in high school."

Despite the sky outside looking like it's on the verge of emptying the contents of the dark, heavy clouds onto their heads at any moment, the trio decide to take a trip to the beach. Hoseok prepares them a questionable picnic (consisting of miniature sandwiches, a forest of celery, and a packet of jumbo marshmallows), and the three men venture out of the house, wrapped up warmly in their winter coats.

Once they reach the beach, Changkyun manages to push the events of the previous night to the back of his mind, allowing himself to revel in the comforting familiarity of spending time with his two closest friends. As glad as he is that both Hoseok and Jooheon are finally in happy, loving relationships, he can't help but miss the times when it was the three of them against the world - because he truly felt that he had nothing to fear when his friends were by his side. Whilst Changkyun understands that sometimes leaving the past behind is just a part of growing up, that doesn't mean that letting go is easy.

When the three men collapse down onto the sea wall to devour their lunch, exhausted from gallivanting around in the sand all morning, Changkyun decides that he needs to reveal his secret, before it can tear him apart. "I need to tell you guys something, but you have to promise that you won't judge me for it."

"As long as you're not about to confess to killing someone, go ahead." Jooheon shrugs, devouring his tiny ham sandwich in a single bite, unperturbed by the scathing looks that the other two men throw in his direction. "What? I can't be an accessory to murder; I'm too pretty for prison."

"What you _are_ is a massive dork." Hoseok chuckles, nibbling away at a stick of celery. "Go ahead, Kyunie."

"Okay... I..." Changkyun has to take several, soothing breaths to gather up enough courage to confess the secret that has been eating away at him all day. As if sensing the younger man's nervousness, Hoseok gently pats his shoulder, reassuring him that he's not alone. The caring action finally gives Changkyun the strength to reveal the truth. "I kissed Kihyun last night, and he kissed me back - but now I have no clue what to do, because he was gone when I woke up this morning. He's clearly avoiding me, and I just... I think I've fucked up."

"Oh Kyunie." Hoseok sighs, immediately pulling his friend into a tight hug.

Jooheon just frowns, evidently not caught up on the latest gossip. "Why would you have messed up? Am I missing something here? I thought you and Kihyun were in a good place?"

"Kihyun's engaged." Changkyun whispers, his voice barely audible. He can't wash away the feeling of shame that coats his skin like slime, because he knew that Kihyun had a fiancé when he kissed him, and yet he did it anyway.

"Wait... _Kihyun's_ the one getting married?" Jooheon seems more taken aback by that revelation than he was about the news of the kiss itself.

"I mean... I think so?" Changkyun shrugs dismissively, feeling that it's fairly obvious by this point. "Her name's Mina. You might have seen here around at _Fantasia_ , since Kihyun's been working on a tattoo for her."

"Yeah, I know her. She's got really long, blonde hair, right? And she's from Japan?" Jooheon confirms, pulling out his phone and squinting down at the screen as he searches for whatever he's hoping to find.

"Yeah, that's her." Hoseok nods in confirmation, his expression more confused than ever. "What's going on, Joo?"

"Before you start jumping to conclusions and assuming that you're a home wrecker, there's something that I need to check." Jooheon continues to scroll frantically through his phone, chewing absentmindedly on his lip as he searches. "Minhyuk showed me something a couple of weeks back - I just need to remember where the picture was from..."

"Minhyuk says a lot of things, but that doesn't mean that they're always the truth." Changkyun grumbles, anxiously pulling at a hangnail as he waits for his best friend to find whatever he's looking for. "I don't know what you could possibly find that will make this better. I saw that New Year's Eve photo with my own two eyes, and it was clear how much Kihyun cared about her in it. I fucked up last night."

"You can't just blame yourself, Kyunie - cheating is awful, but it takes two people." Hoseok comforts him, never one to point fingers or blindly assign blame. "I just never would have guessed that Kihyun would be the type of person to cheat. He's just always seemed so... honest."

"People can surprise you." Changkyun sighs, burying his head defeatedly in his hands. "Kihyun's surprised me so much over the last few months. At first we barely spoke to each other, and then suddenly he wanted to spend time with me. It was difficult for me to pinpoint his feelings, because he'd go from being hot to being cold in the blink of an eye - but there were times when he'd completely drop his guard, and I'd feel like I was seeing the real him. I'm in love with him, and I have been for a long time - so until yesterday, I thought that maybe I was just reading too far into his actions. But the kiss isn't something that I can just forget about, because surely he wouldn't just jeopardise his entire relationship if he doesn't feel anything for me?"

"Love isn't always as simple as black and white, Kyunie." Hoseok offers, though even he sounds uncertain. "Maybe Kihyun realised that he had feelings for you when it was already too late, and he didn't know how to handle it."

"I doubt it. I just hope that he can work this out with Mina. If their relationship breaks down because he cheated on her with me, I don't think I'll ever stop feeling guilty about it."

"Did either of you two ever stop to consider that perhaps the reason that Kihyun doesn't seem like the type of person to cheat, is because he isn't?" Jooheon grins triumphantly, having finally tracked down what he was searching for. "Or at least, he's not the sort of person who would cheat on his partner. Sadly I can't vouch for the fact that he never copied off another kid's test paper in school."

"What the fuck are you talking about, Lee Jooheon?" Changkyun demands, his heart beating frantically in his chest.

"Look at this." Jooheon holds out his phone, which his friends immediately crowd around. "What do you see?"

"It's just Mina's Instagram?" Hoseok points out, the pieces having not clicked into place for him quite yet.

"Nice detective skills, Sherlock." Jooheon snorts, before clicking onto a specific picture that shatters Changkyun’s world into pieces all over again. "See that ring on Mina's finger? This is the day that she got engaged to her fiancé."

Hoseok is still as confused as ever by the revelation. "But that's not Kihyun?"

"No, it's not. It's his brother." Jooheon clarifies, scrolling to the next picture, which shows Mina curled up on the couch next to the man that she's going to marry. "And you, Im Changkyun, are a fucking idiot."

"Oh my god." Changkyun can barely choke out his words, his head spinning wildly. "I've really messed up."

"So Mina's engaged to Kihyun's _brother_?" Hoseok clarifies, wanting to be entirely certain.

Jooheon nods in confirmation. "I'm one hundred percent certain. I remember Minhyuk telling me that Kihyun's been stressing about his duties as best man since before Christmas."

"I'm so dumb." Changkyun whimpers, still reeling from the revelation. "It all makes so much sense..."

"It's not your fault, Kyunie. Kihyun never told you, so how were you supposed to know?" Hoseok tells him firmly, ruffling Changkyun's hair affectionately. Before the younger boy has the chance to respond, Hoseok's phone begins buzzing from his jacket pocket. "I'm gonna take this. Neither of you two go anywhere, okay?"

"Yes, captain!" Jooheon says with a jaunty salute, earning himself an eye roll from Hoseok as he strolls off.

"What am I supposed to do now, Joo?" Changkyun asks, still in the middle of an ongoing crisis. "This whole time, I thought that I never stood a chance with Kihyun - how am I supposed to face him again now, knowing that maybe it's not so hopeless after all?"

"You just need to tell him the truth. I spent a long time trying to deny that I had feelings for Minhyuk because I was afraid of having my heart broken - and Hoseok wasted months pining over Hyungwon because he didn't think he was good enough for him."

Changkyun chuckles dryly. "We're all really fucking stupid aren't we?"

"The absolute worst." Jooheon laughs, resting his head on Changkyun's shoulder as the two men stare out to sea. "I wish you'd told me all of this sooner. It would have saved you a lot of heartache if you'd just asked someone whether Kihyun was really engaged."

"I think Sana tried to tell me, but I didn't want to listen because I was scared of what would happen if I was wrong." Changkyun confesses, thinking back to the note that his friend had given him along with the polaroid camera for his birthday. "' _Don't be afraid of capturing the moments that you'll regret missing for the rest of your life_ '. I wish I'd listened to her."

"This isn't over, Kyun. You can fix this."

Changkyun just sighs, hoping more than anything that his best friend is right. He desperately wants to prove to Kihyun that their kiss meant something to him - even if doesn't know whether he deserves the chance. "I really hope so."

When Hoseok returns from his phone call a minute later, his face is ghostly pale. "We need to go."

"Why? What's happening?"

Hoseok's next words make Changkyun's blood run cold. He already knows that something is _very_ wrong; he can just feel it. "That was Hyunwoo. He's on the way to the hospital."

Jooheon immediately jumps to his feet, his eyes wide with concern. " _What_? Did something happen to him?"

Hoseok's manner is sombre as he helps Changkyun up, who seems to have lost all control over his limbs. "There was an accident, but it isn't Hyunwoo that's hurt - it's Kihyun."

• • • • • • •

Changkyun finds himself fighting back tears for the entire journey to the hospital. He's shaking like a leaf, unable to control the tremors that shoot through his body as the car draws closer to their destination. The worst part of the situation is that he has no idea how badly injured Kihyun is. Hyunwoo had mentioned during his short conversation with Hoseok that an ambulance had been called to the scene of the accident, but that's all the information he'd been able to convey through his panic. Whilst Hyunwoo's always been fairly competent at masking his emotions, it's not at all surprising that his best friend being involved in an accident is enough to crack the calm and composed shell that he usually cloaks himself in. It's disconcerting, to say the least - and leaves Changkyun more worried than ever.

Once they arrive at the hospital, after having pestered the flustered receptionist into telling them which wing Kihyun's being treated in - courtesy of Hoseok's trademark handsome smile (he isn't a notorious ulzzang for nothing) - the trio eventually manage to track Hyunwoo down to a cold, bleak waiting room. Upon seeing his boss sitting hunched over defeatedly on a rigid, plastic chair with his head cradled in his hands, Changkyun feels as though he's on the verge of fainting. Regardless of where his relationship currently stands with his fellow tattoo artist after their kiss the previous evening, Kihyun is still his friend, and the devastation that Changkyun will feel if something happens to him is something that the younger man can't bear to think about.

Despite his usually tendency to burst into tears at the first sign of a crisis, Hoseok manages to repress his own worry enough to take charge of the situation. "What's happening, Hyunwoo? Is Ki going to be okay?"

Although the eldest of the group is clearly struggling to handle the situation himself, he still manages to force a weak smile onto his face, wrapping a supportive arm around Changkyun as he sinks into the chair next to his friend. "The doctors are still doing an initial assessment, so they haven't told me anything yet."

"But he's not been taken in for emergency surgery, right? Surely that's a good thing?" Jooheon points out, in an attempt to remain positive about the situation.

Hyunwoo nods solemnly, trying his best to stay calm and collected. "Let's hope so."

"What happened to him?" Changkyun dares to ask, despite being terrified of the answer he might be about to receive.

"Kihyun and I hired bikes for the day, so we spent the morning making our way along the coastal path." Hyunwoo explains, his voice quivering as he recalls the memory. "There was a point where we had to cross a road at an intersection, and since the lights were on green, Kihyun carried on cycling. The next few moments are a bit of a blur, but some idiot must have ran the red light, because the next thing I know, Kihyun's lying unconscious on the ground."

"Did they catch the prick who drove into him?" Hoseok's hands are clenched into tight fists as he struggles to control his anger at the situation; Changkyun understands how he feels.

"I think so. There were lots of other people around when it happened, so at least I wasn't alone. Someone else had to call the ambulance in the end, because all I could focus on was making sure that Kihyun was breathing, and that he kept completely still in case he'd broken anything." Hyunwoo swipes a hand across his eyes, attempting to hide any traces of the tears that threaten to spill out. "I just hope that I did enough."

"You did well, Nunu." Changkyun reassures his friend, using the nickname that he's recently adopted for Hyunwoo after hearing Kihyun call him by it when they were joking about at the studio. "Kihyun isn't one to give up this easily. He'll be okay; he has to be."

After an excruciatingly lengthy wait, two doctors dressed in eerily long, white lab coats finally emerge out into the waiting room. All four men immediately jump to attention, listening intently as the medical professionals carefully explain the situation to them. Remarkably, Kihyun has escaped the accident with relatively minor injuries. Despite having been knocked unconscious during the collision, and consequently suffering from a concussion that had left him with temporary confusion, the doctors report that fortunately he doesn't seem to have sustained any permanent brain damage - most likely as a result of the helmet that he was wearing. Kihyun had also received several nasty gashes on the left side of his body - two of which had required stitches to close. Whilst the situation was far from ideal, Kihyun would likely be allowed to leave the hospital after an overnight observation, meaning that he could return home the following day.

Changkyun exhales a huge sigh of relief upon hearing the good news, beyond relived that Kihyun's going to be okay. "Are we allowed to see him yet?"

The senior doctor takes a moment to flip through the binder of paperwork, before nodding in confirmation. "As long as you don't do anything to cause him any additional stress, you may visit Mr Yoo. You'll find his room just down the hall - the fourth door on the right."

As soon as the words are out of the doctor's mouth, the four men hurriedly convey their gratitude with deep bows before they're sprinting down the corridor in search of their friend. When they burst into the hospital room, Kihyun doesn't seem in the least bit surprised to see them.

"It's nice to know that you guys care so much about me." He grins, sipping nonchalantly at his juice box as his friends gather around him. "Although I see that Minhyuk and Hyungwon aren't here to check on me."

"They're on their way now. We left them at home this morning, so they have to get here themselves." Hoseok explains, stealing a cracker from the half-eaten packet lying open on Kihyun's table.

"They'll probably end up in Busan or something, then." Kihyun chuckles, grimacing a little as he adjusts his position in the hospital bed.

"Does anything still hurt?" Hyunwoo questions, evidently still worried about his best friend's injuries.

"I got hit by a car - everything hurts." Kihyun can't resist rolling his eyes at the question. "The morphine helps though. I can see why people like it so much."

"I'm glad that you still have your sense of humour." Jooheon teases, relieved that Kihyun seems to be doing just fine. "Is there anything that you need us to do for you?"

"Not right now. I'll call my parents when I get out of hospital, since they'll insist on coming to see me if I tell them now." Kihyun sighs heavily, before his eyes drift over to where the youngest of the group is standing quietly, unsure of whether to speak up or stay silent. "Actually, I'd like to talk to Changkyun - alone."

The three men quickly exchange anxious glances, but eventually they nod in agreement. "We'll give you two some space." Hyunwoo gently pats Kihyun's hand, before ushering Hoseok and Jooheon out of the room, who are throwing Changkyun encouraging looks like their lives depend on it. The gesture is undeniably sweet, but it does little to ease his worry.

"Come and sit down." Kihyun is the one to break the tentative silence that falls over them once they're finally alone.

Changkyun reluctantly does as he's told, perching hesitantly on the edge of the bed so that he can take a closer look at his friend’s injuries. "How are you feeling?"

"I've felt better." Kihyun admits with a shrug, struggling to meet Changkyun's eyes. "There's something that we need to talk about."

"I know." Changkyun braces himself to be berated by Kihyun, but when his friend keeps his mouth firmly shut, the younger man figures that now is as good a time as any for a heartfelt confession. "Ever since we became friends, I've made a lot of mistakes. For one, I was naive enough to think that I could ignore my feelings for you, when it was pretty clear from the beginning that I was only going to dig myself into a hole that I had no way of escaping from. I've liked you for a long time, so I couldn't turn down the chance to get closer to you - even when I thought it was the wrong thing to do."

"Why would it be wrong?" Kihyun's expression is a mixture of surprise and confusion.

Changkyun wants to cry. "Kissing you last night was something that I've wanted to do ever since I met you, but then I freaked out and ruined it because of my own stupidity. I... I've messed up a lot - and I don't think that I'll ever stop being sorry for that."

"Do you regret what happened between us last night?" Kihyun asks quietly, trying his hardest to hide his crestfallen expression.

"Honestly, after I kissed you last night, the only thought going through my head was that I'd made a huge mistake. I thought that I'd messed things up for you, so I panicked, and pushed you away - not because I wanted to, but because I thought it was the right thing to do."

"Why did you think that you'd messed things up?"

"Because I thought you were engaged to Mina."

Kihyun chokes so violently on his juice box that Changkyun's afraid he's going to need to call for a doctor. "You thought what?"

"I saw her ring in that _stupid_ photo of you two on New Year's Eve, and I jumped to a conclusion that I never should have made, which nearly ruined everything." Changkyun explains with a groan, knowing that he's never going to forgive himself for making such a idiotic mistake.

"You're a dumbass." Kihyun tells him, shaking his head in disbelief at the fact that Changkyun thought he was engaged.

"I know I am." Changkyun plucks up the courage to look directly into Kihyun's eyes, as he finally speaks the words that have lingered in his heart for far too long. "But I'm in love with you, Yoo Kihyun."

Although Kihyun's eyes immediately widen in shock, they quickly fill with visible relief upon hearing the confession. "Really?"

"For longer than I'd like to admit. Can you forgive me for being a such massive fucking idiot?"

"I can - on one condition."

Changkyun's heart drops down into the pit of his stomach, bracing himself to receive bad news. "What is it?"

Surprisingly, Kihyun's lips curve upwards into a cheeky smile as he reaches out to take Changkyun's hands in his own. "Since it's Valentine's day tomorrow, how would you feel about going on a date with me?"

Changkyun's mouth falls open in disbelief. "You actually want to go on a date with me?"

Kihyun scoffs at that. "What makes you think that you're the only one who's in love, Im Changkyun?"

"You... you're really in love with me?" Changkyun suddenly feels as though he's been punched in the stomach.

Kihyun nods, affectionately squeezing Changkyun's hand. "I've never been the best at expressing my emotions - especially when it comes to guys. I spent years being afraid of what my parents would think of me, so I tried to repress that part of myself as much as possible - then I met you, and everything began to fall apart. I held on for a long time, but when my brother got engaged, I think I finally just cracked. It's probably why I came across as being so hot and cold, since I was struggling to hide my attraction - and then later, my feelings - for you."

Kihyun takes a deep breath, doing his best to tame his emotions before they get the better of him. "A couple of weeks ago, I finally told my parents the truth, and they told me that it didn't matter - that they'd always support me, no matter who I love. Considering that they've never really approved of my career choice, it was a pretty shocking thing to be told, so it took me some time to accept it. This trip was supposed to be the time when I'd tell you the truth - and I wanted to tell you how I felt last night, but then you started to freak out after the kiss, so I kept my mouth shut. I guess now, I understand why." Kihyun raises Changkyun's hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the tattooed skin. "So... now that we both know how we feel about each other - even though it'll probably be the lamest day out in the world, since I'm still going to be a little bit battered tomorrow - do you want to go on that date?"

Changkyun can hardly believe what he's hearing, his heart beating overtime in his chest; Kihyun is in love with him. "I hate you so fucking much for making me wait so long."

"Is that a yes?"

"Of course it's a yes!" Changkyun grins, launching himself into Kihyun's arms, momentarily forgetting about the other man's injuries until he hears an unamused tut coming from the doorway. When they look over, they're surprised to see Minhyuk standing there with one of the widest grins that Changkyun's ever seen plastered on his lips.

"As touching as you two finally getting your shit together is, we've only just got Kihyun back - please don't kill him before I get the chance to do it myself."

"You're one to talk..." Changkyun grumbles under his breath, though he reluctantly disentangles himself from Kihyun's arms, settling for planting a gentle kiss on the man's cheek instead, which instantly flushes bright pink.

"I'm glad that you're okay, Ki." For once Minhyuk manages to display a surprising amount of restraint as he carefully hugs his friend, doing his best not to smother him.

"Of course I am. I had Hyunwoo looking out for me, as usual." Kihyun grins, shooting his best friend a grateful smile.

"It was nothing." The eldest member of the group shrugs dismissively. "I'm just glad that you're going to be okay."

"His tiny hamster body probably protected him." Hyungwon chips in, taking a seat on the edge of Kihyun's bed.

"He just got hit by a car - you could be a _little_ nicer." Hoseok scolds his boyfriend, draping an arm around his shoulders and squeezing tightly.

"Believe me, I'm _more_ than used to it." Kihyun sighs, raking a hand through his tangled hair.

"So... is everything okay between you two now?" Jooheon asks cautiously, glancing hopefully between Changkyun and Kihyun.

"Yeah, it is. We figured it out." Kihyun beams over at Changkyun, who feels his insides melt with just one glance.

"Aww, look at us all - we're like one big, happy family." Minhyuk coos, only to be instantly punched in the arm by Hyungwon. "Ow, ow, okay! I take it back! The rest of us are like a family, and you're the evil brother that everyone hates."

Hyungwon cocks his head to the side thoughtfully for a moment, before nodding in satisfaction. "I can deal with that."

"Can someone _please_ ask the doctor to prescribe me something that's strong enough to knock me out?" Kihyun whines, glaring over at his friends. "I can't deal with this shit."

Changkyun can't help but chuckle, carefully resting his head on Kihyun's shoulder. "You love us really."

Kihyun just smiles, planting a gentle kiss on the top of Changkyun's head. "Yeah, I do."

• • • • • • •

** ~ 5th May ~ **

Ever since he was young, spring has always been Changkyun's favourite season. Some of his fondest childhood memories are of waking up at the break of dawn to spend the entire day cycling around Seoul with Hoseok and Jooheon, before the trio would eventually collapse down onto the lush green grass on the banks of the river Han to gorge themselves on convenience store ramen as the sun descended down below the horizon. Springtime in South Korea is certainly a sight to behold, but nothing could prepare Changkyun for the beauty of spending the season in Japan.

Despite having been born in the United States, the coastal town of Kobe is the place where Mina grew up, so consequently, it's also the place where she decides to hold her wedding. Changkyun and Kihyun had both received individual invitations to the event, with the elder man being formally given the honour of becoming his brother's best man - a position that he'd accepted without hesitation.

The wedding itself is nothing short of spectacular. Since Kihyun is occupied with ensuring that everything runs smoothly, Changkyun sits with Sana and her girlfriend, Dahyun - who's one of the strangest, yet funniest people that he's ever met - during the ceremony.

Unsurprisingly, most of Changkyun's attention is focused on Kihyun throughout the majority of the wedding, since his boyfriend looks incredibly handsome in his smart tuxedo, his freshly dyed ink-black hair making him even more irresistible than before. Changkyun himself has also taken the plunge and bleached his own hair, meaning that he's now sporting a _blonde_ undercut that Kihyun likes very much indeed.

Still, despite his mind having wandered off for most of the ceremony, Changkyun finds himself fighting back tears when the bride and groom exchange their wedding vows, reading out heartfelt messages bursting with sentiment to the person that they intend to spend the rest of their life with. Despite his tendency to come across as standoffish towards strangers - as well as bearing an array of tattoos that he wears like a second skin - Changkyun can't deny that his tough exterior masks the soft, sensitive person that he really is underneath.

Once the ceremony is over, the rest of the beautiful spring day is reserved for the wedding reception, which takes place inside one of the biggest (and grandest) marquees that Changkyun’s ever laid eyes upon, on a cliff top that overlooks the bay. Since Kihyun has a list of things that he needs to do before he can begin to unwind, Changkyun decides to explore the unfamiliar location while he waits. It doesn't take him long to stumble upon an orchard of cherry blossom trees by the cliff's edge, with all of the spectacular plants blossoming beautifully in startling shades of pink. Changkyun is so wrapped up in his surroundings that he gets caught off guard by Kihyun's sudden arrival, nearly jumping out of his skin in shock.

"Hey, you." Kihyun wraps his arms around his boyfriend's waist from behind, pressing a barrage of kisses to the younger boy's face and neck that make Changkyun melt. "Did you miss me?"

"You wish." Changkyun playfully teases his boyfriend, spinning around in Kihyun's arms so that they're standing face-to-face. "How're you feeling?"

"Exhausted - and not only because of the wedding ceremony itself, but because my entire family is nagging at me to introduce them to my handsome friend." Kihyun sighs deeply as he melts into Changkyun's embrace, the tension instantly seeping out of his body. "I was worried that they might be a little critical of you because of your tattoos, but now I'm starting to think that there isn't anyone you can't win over with your charm."

"Some people are just born to be loved by everyone - even the old, homophobic people." Changkyun grins smugly, gently bumping his nose against Kihyun's, before turning to admire the breathtaking view out over the picturesque bay. "This time last year, if someone had tried to tell me that we'd be attending a wedding together in Japan, I'd probably have laughed in their face. I'd never have believed it in a million years."

Kihyun tenderly presses his lips to Changkyun's temple. "Neither would I, but I'm glad that we're here."

Despite having finally confessed their feelings for each other on the day of the fateful accident, Changkyun and Kihyun's relationship hasn't always been smooth sailing since then. There are days when Changkyun shuts himself off from the world, locking himself away in his studio with only his sketchbook for company - a habit that had worried Kihyun when he'd first become aware of it. Equally, Changkyun gets frustrated when Kihyun lets himself get consumed by his stress and emotions, only talking about his problems when he can't bottle up his feelings for any longer. Neither of them are perfect, but they’re working through their troubles together - because whilst they might not be the stereotypical picture perfect couple, they love each other all the same - and that's what really matters. Changkyun wouldn't trade his relationship with Kihyun for the world.

After what feels like an eternity, Changkyun eventually breaks the whimsical silence by playfully waving his Polaroid camera at his boyfriend. "Go stand beneath the trees, Ki. I want to take a picture of you to remember this moment by."

"You take more pictures than I do nowadays - and I'm the one with a photography degree!" Kihyun jokes, though he immediately bends to Changkyun's request and positions himself under the cherry blossoms, flashing his most charming smile as the camera clicks to life.

"I see that you're making good use of my gift." Sana calls out as she approaches the pair, her high heels clutched in her hand as she picks her way across the lawn with Mina by her side. "I'm glad that you finally decided to capture the moments that matter."

"I hate to say it, but you actually give pretty wise advice." Changkyun sticks his tongue out at Sana, who simply swings her shoe at him in retaliation.

"Do you want to know what my next piece of advice is for a brat like you?" The girl laughs triumphantly as she lands a hit on Changkyun's shoulder with the heel of her sandal. "It's to take full advantage of the open bar tonight, because I swear the champagne here costs more than my monthly rent."

Changkyun likes that idea a lot. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's hit the bar!"

However, as Changkyun turns to stroll back towards the marquee to make the most of the free drinks, Mina catches his elbow, holding him back from leaving. "Can I please speak to you for a moment, Changkyun?"

To say that he's surprised by the request would be putting it lightly. Despite having bumped into Mina at every possible turn back in Seoul, he's never actually had a single conversation with her. "Oh, erm... I guess so?"

"Don't keep him for too long, Mina." Sana calls out, swinging her shoes about excitedly. "I want to see who can drink the most glasses of wine in a minute!"

"That's not going to be happening." Kihyun sighs deeply, as he reluctantly follows the orange-haired girl towards the bar, preparing himself to stop her from drinking her own body weight in alcohol.

Now alone with Mina, Changkyun hesitantly turns his attention to the bride. "So... what did you want to talk to me about?" Changkyun asks awkwardly, sitting down beside her beneath the cherry blossoms.

"Even though we've never spoken to each other before, do you know why I sent you your own wedding invitation, instead of just letting Kihyun bring you along as his date?" Mina asks, combing her fingers through her pristinely styled hair, which falls past her shoulders in a smooth, golden wave.

Changkyun pauses to think for a moment, taken aback by the unexpected question. "Actually, no - I don't."

"I did it because even though I don't know you personally yet, you're important someone that I care about. Although you caused Kihyun a lot of pain in the beginning, you make him happier than I've ever seen him." Mina smiles fondly in the direction of the marquee, where Kihyun and his brother have begun mock-wrestling, much to Changkyun's amusement. "He's my brother now, which means that for as long as you're in his life, you're a part of my family too."

"I know that Kihyun and I have only been together for a couple of months, but I've been in love with him for a lot longer than that." Changkyun says truthfully, seeing no reason to hide his true feelings from Mina. "I want to be a part of his life for as long as he'll let me. It might sound stupid, but I can't imagine a future that doesn't have Kihyun in it."

"Then I look forward to attending _your_ wedding." Mina's smile is soft as she listens to Changkyun talk about his boyfriend, although that quickly changes when she remembers a piece of information that she thinks the man in front of her might be _very_ interested in. "You know... when Kihyun was helping me to design my tattoo, he showed me a specific one that he'd sketched with himself in mind."

The unexpected news takes Changkyun by surprise, since Kihyun's never mentioned anything about actually _getting_ a tattoo - only that he wasn't opposed to the idea. "What did the design look like?"

"You'll have to ask him that yourself." Mina shoots him a playful wink as she rises to her feet, pulling Changkyun up with her. "Now come on - I've got to get back to my wedding before the guests start thinking I've made a run for it."

"Doesn't the bride usually runaway _before_ the ceremony? It seems kind of pointless to make your getaway once you've already signed the marriage certificate." Changkyun points out sceptically. "And besides, I don't think anyone would believe that you'd leave your husband for someone like _me_."

"Hey! What are you saying about my brother-in-law's taste in men?" Mina jokes, lightly slapping Changkyun's shoulder.

"Oh, please, I know that I'm hot - but the Yoo brothers are something else entirely. I mean, I should know, since I am dating one of them after all."

Mina bursts out laughing at that, unable to deny the truth in Changkyun's words. "Y'know, even though you and Kihyun are both so different, with the way that you talk about each other, I'm beginning to think that you two were destined to be together."

Changkyun grins at that, offering his hand to Mina as they make there way back towards the marquee, and the people that they love. "I really hope so."

• • • • • • •

** ~ 29th July ~ **

"Are you sure about this?" Changkyun asks Kihyun for the fifth time that day, as he steadily prepares his tattoo gun, stealing anxious glances at his boyfriend every so often. Although the scorching summer sun is beating down relentlessly on the world outside, the air conditioning in Changkyun's studio is turned up to full blast, keeping the two tattoo artists mercifully cool.

"You can stop looking at me like that, Kyun; of course I'm sure. I've already let Minhyuk pierce my tongue today - what else do I have to lose?" Kihyun huffs, his slight lisp becoming even more pronounced than usual due to the swelling in his mouth.

"How about your dignity?" Hyungwon pipes up, as he passes by Changkyun's studio with a giggling Hoseok in tow.

"Sometimes I really wish that Minhyuk had just stabbed holes through both of his lips and used the piercing to sew his mouth shut." Kihyun mutters, fiddling nervously with the fraying hem of his jeans.

"That's pretty morbid, but a very valid point." Changkyun agrees, gently nudging Kihyun's arm until the dark-haired man lies down in the chair, his body relaxing against the soft leather. "Okay, are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Kihyun nods stoically, bracing himself to feel the sting of the needle as Changkyun lines the tattoo gun up with design template that he'd traced onto his boyfriend's shoulder earlier that day. "At least I know that I'm leaving my body in the hands of an expert."

"I wouldn't exactly go _that_ far." Teases Changkyun, doing his best to remain focused on the task at hand. "You and Min have both had your licences for a lot longer than I have."

"I mean, that's technically true - but I remember Hyunwoo telling me after the first time he met you at the bar that you'd started tattooing yourself with one of those basic home kits when you were fifteen." Kihyun admits, shifting slightly in the chair. "That seriously impressed me at the time - though I did think you were a little bit crazy."

Changkyun can't help but chuckle at that. "Who says that I'm not?"

"Yeah, well... I love you anyway - crazy or not." Kihyun murmurs, gritting his teeth as the needle bites into his skin. "I can't believe that I'm finally doing this."

"To be honest, I can't believe that I'm the one you're allowing to tattoo you." Changkyun admits, his brow furrowed in concentration as the design begins to take shape.

"Who else would I have picked? As much as I love Minhyuk and Hyungwon - though don't tell them I said that - I wouldn't even consider letting anyone other than you bring that needle near me for my first tattoo." Kihyun shrugs nonchalantly, as if the honour he's bestowing upon Changkyun doesn't make the younger man's heart swell with pride. "This is actually surprisingly painful. I kind of regret all of the times that I called my clients pathetic in my head when they started crying."

"The only time that I really struggled with pain was when I was doing my own hands." Changkyun mutters, shuddering at the memory. "People have different pain tolerances though. The one and only time that I tattooed Minhyuk, I can just remember him screaming like a banshee whenever I brought the needle even remotely near him."

"That was the time that I walked in on you, wasn't it - when you were straddling his lap to keep him still?"

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that!" Changkyun chuckles as he recalls the lengths he'd had to go to finish off Minhyuk's tattoo.

"I was insanely jealous until I realised that it was completely innocent." Kihyun admits, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment as he remembers the rush of envy that he'd felt at the time. "I think that was what made me decide that I couldn't just keep on pretending that I didn't have feelings for you - even though I didn't think I'd ever actually end up confessing."

"I'm glad that you made the first move, because I probably would've just carried on admiring you from a distance for the rest of time, and then regretting it until the day I died. You had enough courage to try and become my friend back when I was too scared to approach you myself, so thank you for that." Changkyun presses a featherlight kiss to Kihyun's ear, allowing himself to briefly savour the moment before he turns his attention back to the task at hand.

"Maybe I was the one who took the risk, but you're the one who never stopped loving me - even when you thought that being with me was impossible. I'm the one who should be thanking you, Changkyun; it’s because of _you_ that I finally know who I am."

• • • • • • •

Later that day, Changkyun and Kihyun meet up with their friends at the coffeeshop that Hyunwoo had purchased six months ago, where business is flourishing due to its unique underwater theme (which Minhyuk definitely isn't outrageously smug about). After collecting their drinks, the group settle down in a comfy corner booth that's overlooked by an enormous mural of a scarily realistic octopus. Despite being slightly concerned that he's about to be cautioned for public indecency, Kihyun heeds his friends' requests and hikes up his shirt so that his freshly inked tattoo is on full display, still wrapped under a layer of cling film to protect it while it heals.

"How does it look?" Kihyun asks his friends excitedly, eager to hear their opinions on his first tattoo. "I know that it's still pretty red right now, so just imagine what it'll look like when the swelling’s gone down, okay?"

"It's amazing, Ki. Kyun did a great job." Hyunwoo tells him, because although he might not be a tattoo artist himself, he's still able to appreciate the complex artistry and emotion laced into the ink. "You designed it yourself, right?"

"I was the one who sketched it, but I can't take all the credit. The original design was something I saw in Changkyun's portfolio, and once the image was inside my head, I couldn't stop thinking about it." Kihyun confesses, reaching out to take Changkyun's hand and tangle their fingers together. "That was when I knew that I had to get it tattooed on me, so I adapted the design to intertwine my art style with Kyun's - and now here it is."

Whilst the tattoo itself is fairly simple, it's the meaning that it conveys that really matters Changkyun. The design is of the silhouettes of two men sitting side by side on a crumbling wall, looking out over the ocean as they watch the sun rising over the distant horizon. It’s a scene that Changkyun had initially sketched in the spur of the moment late one night over a year ago, when his blooming feelings had begun to overwhelm him, and he had no other way to express them. When he'd woken up the next morning and looked at the design again, Changkyun had very nearly torn it to pieces out of frustration - but the raw emotion that sent a spike of pain racing through his chest as he held the sketch in his hands had stopped him in his tracks. Eventually, Changkyun had plucked up the courage to include the piece of art in his portfolio, where it remained buried until Kihyun had brought it out into the light once again.

"Now that all seven of us have tattoos, what's stopping us from getting matching ones next?" Hoseok grins brightly, wrapping his arms around Hyungwon, who's somehow falling asleep whilst still clinging onto his coffee cup.

"Doesn't that mean I'm basically anchoring myself to you all for life?" Kihyun raises a dubious eyebrow, though it's clear that he's not entirely opposed to the idea.

"You're already stuck with us anyway, Ki - even if you decide not to get the tattoo, none of us are going anywhere." Changkyun promises, taking his boyfriend's hand in his and squeezing it reassuringly. "I love you, Yoo Kihyun - and I hope you know that you're going to have to try really damn hard if you ever want me to stop."

"Then I guess I'm going to live a very easy life." Kihyun quickly presses a kiss to Changkyun's lips, before pulling away to smile at the rest of the group. "So... what tattoo are we getting?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the story finally draws to a close! I’ve really enjoyed writing this, and I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading it! I’m grateful to anyone who takes the time to leave kudos & I’d love to hear your opinions about my work in the comments - feel free to ask me any questions you may have!
> 
> As long as everything goes to plan, I’m hoping to publish my next story towards the end of the month, which will be centred around STRAY KIDS. Be sure to look out for that if you’re interested!
> 
> \- CoffeeSoobeanie -


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